


We Write Our Own Paths

by RachaelsCoatButtons



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, The Paternoster Gang (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:35:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 42
Words: 110,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22883383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RachaelsCoatButtons/pseuds/RachaelsCoatButtons
Summary: My insight into the world of Jenny & Vastra, how they met and became the Paternoster Gang.Was it the hand of fate? Was it the hand of the Doctor? Either way, it was a meeting set in stone, a fixed moment in time. It was meant to happen.
Relationships: Jenny Flint & Madame Vastra, Jenny Flint/Madame Vastra
Comments: 94
Kudos: 138





	1. Chapter 1

It was dark. It was cold. The same as it always was. She wrapped her shawl tighter in an attempt to keep the icy wind from ripping through her tired and weak body. Another knock back may be all the Reaper needs to claim her soul. She fought back tears at the memory of yet another unfruitful day in seeking employ. No matter how hungry, how truly pained her life was, selling her body was not a career path she could ever walk. Her body was all she had of her own. She would rather die. With no work, there is no food, no warmth, no shelter. Three things she used to take for granted, before her life was changed by something she thought so natural and warm to her. Something that was her, and she had no choice in the matter. Just as she had been born with brown hair, and dark eyes, as anyone who was born with birthmark or freckles, someone who preferred the left hand over the right. How could something that was part of her, fill her once loving family with such hate? Maybe she should succumb to the clawing whisper at her ear. Begging her to give in to the grim reality of an untimely, yet entirely expected, death on the cold we streets on which she walks. She had always been strong, determined. But everyone has their limits.

As if reading her black thoughts, fate had its own game to play…

Footsteps, following her. Each turn they matched, left, right, then left again. The footsteps followed. Footsteps of not one, maybe more even than two. Scraping along the narrow alleyways, nearing closer and closer.

She picked up her pace in an attempt to lose them around the next corner, but the sound of the scraping soles on the wet cobbles did not cease. “Right.” she whispered to herself. “This is ‘ow it’s gonna end. Hopefully it’ll be warmer down there.” Hell is her only possible destination, she’ll put up a fight, of course she will. She won’t make it easy for them, but the destination is inevitable, and she knows it. She turned on her heel, the footsteps desisting as she did so. “What is it that you want, why you followin’ me? I got nothin’ for myself, let alone for you lot!” She hoped the confidence in her confrontation would throw them off, dazing them slightly and putting a flaw in the plan of a quiet and easy takedown.

“You got plenty to offer!” The first man replies gruffly. His rough face and crooked smile coming to view in the dim moonlight as the clouds pass above the dark, unlit alleyway. “I ain’t gonna hurt ya” his voice softens to a whisper. “Thas ‘is job!” he continues, as he points to another shadowed figure to his left, smirking as he does so. “He does all the gruesome stuff; I get the spoils so to speak.”

She could smell the alcohol on his breath, the sweat and urine stained clothes creating a wall of acrid air, now the only thing separating her from the unsightly man closing in on her by the second. She could feel his uncomfortably warm breath on her skin. Gagging at the smell as it catches at the back of her throat. Determined not to let the arseholes intimidate her, a question had been playing on her mind, “So what does ‘ee do then?” She said, nodding her head in the direction of the third figure, lingering slightly behind. She regretted it the moment the words left her lips.

He laughed. “You won’t ‘av to worry about ‘im. He won’t come near ya. Not yet anyway. He clears up all the mess we make!” His twisted, devious smile widening to show his yellow jagged teeth.

She took this brief moment of stillness as he stared into her eyes to wind back her leg, enough to get a good momentum on the upwards motion of her knee straight into his groin.  
  
“What the fuck are you playin’ at!” Pain and irritation now etched onto his once smug face. “Well don’t just stand there gawpin’ you pillock!” he screamed as he looked to the man on his left. “Do your bloody job!” He keeled forwards, nursing his battered pride.

She felt a brief moment of hope, just as the second figure came towards her, adrenaline now coursing through her veins. A swift knuckle blow to the nose stopped him in his tracks. She now had a broken hand to deal with, no matter. She won’t last long enough to worry about nursing it.

“Arghh! You bloody little whore! I’ll ‘ave you for that!”

By this time, his battered pride now just a dull throb between his legs, the first attacker joined his accomplice in getting their own back on her. All the while, the third man leaning up against the wall behind them, smoking a pipe and watching on, as a father would watch his offspring at play.

A hand around her throat, a wall to her back. A knife gleaming in the corner of her eye. “Please!” she begged. She knew it wouldn’t help, but it seems as though this is her last chance. Maybe there was a tiny part of them that couldn’t hurt a woman begging for her life.

“Please? You think beggin’s gonna help you now? You are gonna pay for what you did. I was gonna make this nice and quick, a pretty girl like you, I was gonna take some pity on ya and give you a quick exit so to speak. But I changed my mind.” His face now red with anger and eye’s filled with a rage she had seen only once before, the day she left. “I’m gonna rip that pretty face from your skull, then I’m gonna mess you up so bad that the poor sod who finds you ain’t gonna know if you’s a lady or a butchered pig” His other hand made its way to his belt buckle, struggling with the task while his grip at her neck increased.

A knife being held at her side by the second man pushed into her further and further, not quite drawing blood but a deep intake of breath would change that. She closed her eyes and wished for death to come quicker than her attackers promised.

“Oi! Lads! Hold on, I can ‘ear something.” The man behind was no longer casually leaning against the wall, but alert and seeking.

Her eyes were still closed, but the halt in proceedings were tempting her to look. She refrained. Wishing to have images more dear to her in her last moments. Her first kiss, or the loving smile of her mother as she remembered her before she was cast out. The warmth of the sun on her skin and the sea air caressing her face on the day she visited the seaside. She wanted to see the love in her fathers’ eyes, just one more time. Not the grotesque image of a certain death that awaited her should she dare to look. A sound of a strangled cry shook her from her revelry, a blood curdling scream so close to her ear she could be sure her hearing would be impaired. The knife in her side no longer pressing, the sound of steel hitting the cobbled streets, the hand around her neck now shaking in fear.

“Who’s there! What do you want! What ‘av you done to my brothers!” The man’s voice once conniving and snide, now the sound of a scared boy about to meet his demise.

“Remove your hand from around her throat, and I shall tell you.”

The voice was soft as silk, yet hard as stone. Calm and yet somewhat threatening. The sound of velvet, brushing against skin, it was a woman’s voice.

The girl’s eyes opened to the scene in front of her. A tall figure and a veiled face came into view. The darkened streets where not giving anything away.

“No!” the man cried. “Get away or I’ll strangle her completely!”

“I do not think you will have time” the woman’s voice replied. “You want to know what happened to your brothers? I will show you.”

The girl stared on in fear, not for herself, but for the man who attempted to claim her life. She wanted him to die, she wanted him to be as scared as she had been, but that did not mean she did not feel the fear he now has for himself.

The figure ran at them at such an impossible speed, before she new it, the man was clutching at a had around his neck, blood streaming from his mouth, dying screams gurgling, choking on his own plasma. As she watched on, she noticed the cat like claws digging into his skin, ripping through flesh. Silence now hung in the air, the man now limp in the grasp of the veiled figure. One swift flick of her wrist and the man was thrown against the wall, a thud echoed as his body hit the ground. The veiled figure walked towards the girl, she was tempted to run, but not only was she unsure if her legs would carry her, she was unsure if she even wanted to.

“Are you quite alright my dear?” The voice was soft and unwavering. “Are you hurt?”

The girl was in awe. This figure had saved her life, and had torn those men to shreds. Yet here she was, asking her in such a gentle tone, if she was alright?

“I… um…. I think so. I’m not hurt, a little sore maybe.” She blustered under the gaze of the woman before her, a gaze hidden yet she could feel it.

“Is there somewhere I can take you, where do you live my dear?”

“I don’t” the girl replied.

“You don’t what? You don’t live? You are well and truly alive; I have made sure of that.”

“No..um… I mean well, yes, I do live, thanks to you. What I meant to say that I don’t have anywhere to go. I was on my way to the bakers to take up his doorway for the night. It’s the driest around for miles”

“My dear, you cannot stay out on the streets tonight. You have had quite enough excitement for one day. Come with me, I have somewhere that you can rest your head.”

“Oh thank you ma’am, I wouldn’t like to impose at all but I fear for myself out here. It was quite a shock, I’m sure I’ll be right as rain tomorrow, I won’t linger too long.”

“Very well. Come, follow me. Now, if you are to be taking refuge in my dwellings, I would like to know your name.”

As she stood to follow the figure, unsure of who she was, or even what she was, the question seemed to pass her by.

“Well?” the figure asked.

“Oh! So sorry ma’am, of course, my name, it’s Jenny ma’am. Jenny Flint.”

“Well, Jenny Flint, a pleasure to meet you.”


	2. Chapter 2

“I told you!”

“You did no such thing.”

Jenny could hear voices, she opened her eyes to find that she was in a room, alone. Quite a foreboding room, with dark furnishings and a roaring fire. A room bigger even than her whole home as a child. As she looked down at her self she realised that she was no longer in her own clothes, but a nightdress that was slightly too big for her. She could smell it was clean. She had not smelled the fresh scent of clean linen in such a long time. She held the cloth to her nose, and breathed in the scent. Inhaling as much as she could before she felt as though her lungs would explode. She wanted to make the most of it in case this was the last time she would get the chance. The sun streamed through the slightest gap in the thick heavy curtains. It was already morning.

The voices continued outside the door. She recognised one of them, it was the woman that had saved her. The second was of a man, a very excitable man by the tone of his voice.

“Doctor, you did not ‘tell me’ anything. I heard the voices, I was hungry. If it wasn’t for that poor girl already scared to death, I would have been able to finish my meal. But alas, I thought she had seen enough violence for one night.”

“Yes, but I told you!” the man said in a tone one would associate with a child at Christmas. “I told you to go that way. If you hadn’t gone that way you wouldn’t have heard the screams! Oh the screams, such delightful business!”

Jenny was starting to wonder what she had gotten herself into. Delightful screams? She mused to herself. How can a scream be delightful?

“What are you wittering on about man.” The female voice replied, chiding him ever so slightly.

“It was mean to happen this way. She was meant to be attacked. To be found by you. I cannot tell you what I know Vastra, but you must trust me. Look after her.”

“Vastra, what kind of a name is that?” Jenny thought she had said in her mind, but on hearing the commotion outside the room, she realised she had said it out loud.

“She’s awake! At last! Can we go in, can we, please?” The man, this Doctor, sounded like he was going to implode if he didn’t.

Jenny made herself look half presentable, they were going to come in whether she was ready or not.

“Shhh! Please, calm yourself. What is this all about! What is it about her that has you turning into an excitable pup! You apes, I will never understand what goes on in your little brains.”

“I am not an ape, I am a Time Lord!” The man replied with such an aura of grandeur and righteousness.

“Yes, yes, Time Lord, Human, apes. Now, if you would be so kind as to stop hopping on the spot, I will see if young Jenny Flint is quite ready for visitors.”

Jenny braced herself, expecting the door to be flung open at any moment. What she didn’t expect was a light knock on the door, and the soft voice requesting entrance. This was her house, why is she knocking? Jenny thought to herself.

“Come in” Jenny replied meekly.

As the door slowly opened, she could see the veiled figure once more. She seemed a lot less imposing than she remembered. More like an elegant widow bestowed in grief.

“Jenny Flint. How are you my dear? I trust you slept well and are feeling better?”

“Yes ma’am, much. Thank you for the lend of your room for the night, although I am not quite sure how I came to arrive? The last I remember is followin’ you home.” 

The man stood beside her, the Doctor, had a permanent smile etched onto his face, looking between Jenny and Vastra as the conversation continued.

“My dear, you had had quite your fill of excitement for one night, and I think your body protested at the thought of further excursion. You fainted, but don’t worry, I managed to catch you before you hit the floor. I carried you the rest of the way.”

“You carried me? Why?”

“Well how else was I to get you here, drag you behind me?”

The Doctor sniggered, earning himself a glare from Vastra. Even beneath the veil, the Doctor could feel the icy stare.

“Jenny Flint, you saw a lot last night, and I am certain that you are an exception to the rule. You did not run when you saw my claws, you did not cower when I came to you. I know you are yet to know me, but I feel that you would understand.” Despite all of her self-preservation instincts, she had succumbed to the doctors wishes in introducing herself to Jenny. Should she scream, should she run, she did not know. But even if it stops the doctor from ranting on about meant-to-be’s and fate, it was worth the risk. She wasn’t sure if she could put up with his odd behaviour any longer.

“Ma’am, you saved my life” Jenny replied. “Why would I run from you? If you meant me harm I wouldn’t be here talking to you now would I?”

“Oooo she’s a clever one this one!” the doctor chimed in “Told you!”

“Hush!” Another sideward glance at the doctor quelled his enthusiasm, even if just for a moment.

“Jenny, what I am about to show you is probably not something you have seen before, nor are you likely to see again. You see, I am not like you. I am not human. Neither am I alien. I am from the beginning of time. A time when other creatures ruled this planet. A time when reptilian beings where above all.”

Just as Vastra finished her sentence, she lifted her veil. Jenny did not scream, she did not run. But she stared, was it in fear? Was it in awe? Vastra could not yet tell, she was too caught up in waiting for the scream to reach her ears. But it did not come. She looked to Jenny, to see her reaction.

Jenny stared in awe at the vision in front of her. Scaled skin, intricately woven in shades of green she didn’t know existed. Her head was devoid of hair, but was adorned with a striking crown of crests, she looked almost regal. But what struck Jenny more than anything else, were the cerulean blue eyes staring back at her. Never before had she seen such a colour, she didn’t want to look away. Suddenly aware that she was yet to speak, she blinked trying to wake herself from the hypnotic state she had found herself in.

“So, you’re a lizard woman from the dawn of time? Is that what you’re sayin’?”

“Well.... yes, that is indeed what I just said. Does it scare you Jenny Flint?” Vastra replied, in a slightly teasing tone.

“No ma’am, I don’t scare easily. And any rate, you’re not scary, just…..different to me.” Jenny couldn’t take her eyes off the woman. Neither did she want to.

The Doctor had been watching the interaction with excited interest “Well! Must be off! Things to see, people to do…. or probably the other way around. Either way, must be off!”

Vastra sighed “Well, peace at last. Now Jenny, do you have somewhere you need to be? Will your family be worried about your whereabouts, a job perhaps?”

“No ma’am, all I have is here with me. Expect me clothes, they’re over there.” She said as she pointed to the chair in the corner of the room.

“Indeed they are” Vastra replied solemnly. The rags she had found Jenny in could hardly be called clothes, yet it is all this poor girl had. She had no idea what to do with her. She had made a promise to the doctor, to look after her. Why, she will probably never know. But she owed him this; she owed him all he asked for, a debt she would gladly repay for him saving her. As she pondered for a moment, on what to do with the situation at hand, she realised she didn’t even know what apes ate? “Jenny, are you hungry? I am not sure what you apes like to eat but if you can find something adequate in the pantry you may help yourself.”

Jenny looked at Vastra with a questioning glance, she didn’t take to the word ‘ape’ very well, but she didn’t like to be rude after all the care she had been given.

“What’s your name?” Jenny asked.

“My name is Madame Vastra.”

“No, your last name.” Jenny replied.

“Last name? I do not have a last name. I am just Madame Vastra.”

“What about a middle name?” Jenny was intrigued by this creature, this lizard woman from the dawn of time.

“Jenny, my dear. I think you may have hit your head after all. How is it that you think I would have a middle name, if I do not have a last? I’m not entirely sure that’s mathematically possible.” A slight smirk played at Vastra’s lips. Apes were very amusing.

“I suppose you’re right ma’am. Never thought about it like that before!” Jenny replied, slightly embarrassed.

“Come now Jenny, let’s get you something to eat.” With that, Vastra stood from her crouched position in front of Jenny, and started for the door.

“Ma’am, apologies. Would you mind if I made myself a little more presentable first? I wouldn’t like to be walking around your grand house in me nighty. I’d feel slightly underdressed.” Jenny sat on the edge of the bed, her hands fidgeting nervously in her lap. She didn’t want to impose.

“Of course Jenny. You do as you require and meet me in the parlour when you are ready. Second door on the right as you reach the bottom of the stairs.” With that, Vastra left the room in search of any ape food she may have stored away for visitors. As she descended the stairs, she could not get the words the Doctor had uttered to her before he left out of her mind. What did he mean it was meant to happen this way? She knows he travelled through time and space, but does this mean he has seen something? Or was this just his strange way of getting her to make friends. Either way, she had promised to look after the little ape, she will do what she can but will not hold someone against their will. If Jenny wanted to leave and never see her again, she was free to do so. There was something about Jenny that intrigued Vastra though, she didn’t scream, she didn’t run or cower at the sight of her. Her piercing eyes felt like they had gazed right into her soul. It had irked her slightly that she had let the ape get under her skin, she was never usually one for guests, and caring for the wellbeing of said guests was not her forte. Yet here she was, secretly hoping that she had something to feed to the girl, so she would linger just a little while longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry, still no title. I'm working on it.


	3. Chapter 3

She sat at the large oak table in the centre of the kitchen, the cast iron stove emitting enough heat to warm the dead, the morning newspaper in front of her, scanning the pages for anything of interest. Momentarily forgetting the presence of another being in her house, she jumped slightly at the voice from the doorway.

“Thank you ma’am, I would have felt quite a sight if I were to be roamin’ your ‘ouse in me undies.”

Vastra blushed slightly at the thought. Unnoticed, she hoped, by the human. She coughed, as to distract herself from her silent musings. “Please, help yourself to something to eat. I am not one for entertaining many guests, so I am unsure of what it is you may want to eat, but there may be something fit for an ape in here somewhere.”

Jenny flinched again at the word ‘ape’. “Ma’am, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but why do you keep calling me an ape? I’m not sure I quite like it much.”

“It is not a judgement, but an observation my dear. You are a mammal, a descendant of apes. Where, sorry, when I come from, we were the dominant species. I am a Silurian, a species of reptile that ruled this planet many years ago, our main source of sustenance were apes.”

A look of shock crossed Jenny’s face as she realised what the woman was saying. As much as she was sure Vastra didn’t want to eat her, it didn’t stop her wondering if this was still something she did regularly.

“Don’t worry my dear, I won’t eat you.” Vastra added solemnly after seeing Jenny’s reaction. Disappointment settled in her stomach, she didn’t like to scare the girl.

“Oh I don’t believe you will ma’am, not for a second.” Jenny smiled at Vastra, hoping the sincerity of her words came across. As she moved to look through the many cupboards for something that resembled food, she could feel eyes on her. As she turned back to look, she caught Vastra snapping her eyes back to the newspaper in front of her, feigning interest in one article or another. Jenny smiled to herself, picking up a couple of eggs that she had come across, and a piece of bread probably slightly passed its best, but better than she had eaten for a long while.

She moved through the kitchen with ease, seeming to find the pan and utensils as easy as someone who had lived in the house for years. She put the pan on the stove and cracked in the eggs, turning to ask the lady of the house if she could fix her something to eat. As she turned, she caught the blue eyes staring at her.

Vastra blushed at the realisation she had been caught staring, again. She wasn’t sure why she was staring, intrigue perhaps. “No my dear, I am still quite full from supper.” A soft smile graced her lips.

Jenny thought back to the previous evening. The three men that were no more. She was thankful for what had happened, she owed Vastra her life. But thinking of the demise of the men made her feel sorry. Not for them, but for Vastra. They didn’t smell like they would have been at all appetising. She grimaced and retuned her attention to the eggs now perfectly scrambled. Having found herself a plate, she emptied the contents of the pan and added the bread. This would be the best meal she had eaten in a good few months. She turned and took a seat at the table, making sure to be polite and to sit up straight and use her knife and fork as she was brought up to do. As she started to eat, she could not help herself in letting out the satisfied hums of delight at the sensation of the food reaching her empty stomach.

“When was the last time you ate?” The voice made Jenny jump ever so slightly, far too engrossed in the food in front of her. “I didn’t mean to startle you my dear, but you are truly famished. Never have I seen anyone take such pleasure from eggs and stale bread!”

“Sorry ma’am, I don’t mean to be rude. My manners I think are a little rusty.” Jenny lowered her fork, looking a little sheepish once she had realised the speed at which she was shovelling in the food. “I’m not sure I can remember, maybe three days ago? The bakery left out a few scraps for me, they’re quite grateful for me takin up their doorway of a night. Keeps away the drunks and working girls. At least I don’t leave a mess behind me.”

Vastra felt anger stirring inside her. How is it that this poor little ape was left to fend for herself on the streets of London, no one to care for her or miss her. She had never known a species as uncaring for their fellow kin as humans. Before she could think on what she was about to say, the words left her lips “Jenny, how would you like to stay here and help me with the house? You will be warm and fed and dry.”

Jenny was surprised and slightly confused at the idea. “Why?” it was the only response she could think of in that moment.

Vastra flustered slightly, why? She didn’t actually have an answer. “Well, this house is rather large, and I do find myself quite behind with the upkeep. I would be grateful of assistance in maintaining a somewhat decent appearance.” The answer was coming to her as she spoke “You require lodgings, and an income I assume? You would be my maid, and in return you will be fed, comfortable and will earn yourself a wage.” She was impressed by her own talent of thinking on her feet. “I do find it quite a task to let just anyone into my home, for reasons I am sure you understand. You seem to take quite well with my appearance,” Vastra, smiled, happy at her reasoning. She didn’t want to let this girl back out on the streets to fend for herself. “And I do assure you my dear, I will not eat you.” She added, hoping that Jenny would take it in jest as intended.

Jenny smiled at the last sentence. She could feel her eyes welling up with tears at the generosity of the gesture. She hadn’t felt such a kindness in a long time. “I wouldn’t like to impose myself ma’am”

“You wouldn’t be my dear, you would be a great help”.

“Well if you’re sure ma’am, I would humbly accept.” Jenny smiled at the thought of finally being able to start her life anew. This is the chance she needed, the chance that no other had given her. She wiped her eyes and composed herself, as a maid should. “Where would you like me to start ma’am?”

“I would like you to finish your breakfast. Then, you must go to the market and gather a few things for me. I will write you up a list.”

Jenny did as she was asked, wolfing down the last scraps while Vastra left the room to acquire a pen and paper. She opened the door to her study, and took a seat at her desk. Files and papers stacked to one side, files that would usually be occupying every waking moment, but for now seem forgotten. She took a breath to catch up with herself, and the situation at hand “Doctor, what have you gotten me into this time.” she sighed to herself. She would be grateful of the company, even if it was just to see another living being around the house, for loneliness was not a natural state for a Silurian. Her sisters coming to mind, the family she no longer had leaving an empty space once filled with them. A decade since had passed, but she was no more used to the feeling of emptiness. She looked around her study, to the life she had made for herself. The walls lined with bookshelves, laden with fiction and fact, every ounce of her knowledge taken from the pages within. The art adorning the space above her desk, mostly a visual representation of her mood, dark foreboding images, now seemed to make her slightly uneasy. The windowless room was warmer than the rest of the house, the fire stoked to a temperature quite uncomfortable for any other. She began to question if she was quite ready for another being to be thrust into her peculiar life. Vastra relished in the heat for a few more moments, before returning to the curious creature in her kitchen.

Jenny had taken it upon herself to commence her duties as a maid. She found some cleaning supplies in a cubbyhole beside the sink. A few cloths and a mop, but it was all she had to hand. She filled the sink with warm water and soap, and began washing the worktops and kitchen table, noticing to her embarrassment the mess she had made while eating her breakfast. She made quick work of it, all the while studying the layout of the kitchen. A large expanse of dark granite tiles lined the floor, on which stood the sizeable oak table. Only two chairs, merely there to reiterate the fact that the lady of the house did indeed see very few visitors. The stove, still billowing out heat that even she found slightly uncomfortable. There were many cupboards and cabinets, mostly bare but for a few jars and tins that remain unopened. She thought they could even have been left by the previous owners by the amount of dust that clung to them. The window over the sink looked out onto a yard, overgrown with grass, a small stable stood at the very end. Jenny mused at how lovely it would be to lay out under the sun in the summer months, once all her chores where finished of course. She made a mental note to ask Madame Vastra if a little landscaping would be appreciated. As she continued to look at the overgrown garden, lost in her imaginings, a cough sounded from behind, making her jump somewhat.

“Jenny, please take this list to the market, there is enough money here for said items, and enough for you to purchase some clothes more befitting to a ladies maid. As you may have noticed, there is not much in the way of food for you here so please make sure you add whatever you would need for nourishment.”

Jenny found it slightly odd, the way she used the word nourishment, but too taken aback by the generosity of new clothes and food, she thought better than to mention it. “Thank you ma’am, I’ll be off right away then.”

“I will most likely be in my study when you return, I would prefer it if I was not to be disturbed. You are free to walk the house as if it were your own, but that is the one room that I would prefer to keep to myself.” and with that, Vastra left Jenny to her task, entering the room opposite the kitchen, and shutting the door firmly.

Jenny watched as she went, she didn’t question the woman’s protectiveness over her study, she is entitled to her privacy, this is her house after all. Donning her shawl and shoes, Jenny made her way out of the house, closing the front door with as much gentleness as she could, if the Madame didn’t like to be disturbed, she was determined to be as quiet as a mouse. She made her way into the streets of London, now seeing them in a different light. No longer searching for a way to make ends meet, or for her next meal, the hustle and bustle seemed all the more jovial and pleasant. For the first time in almost 3 years, she was happy to be alive.


	4. Chapter 4

Vastra sat at her desk, determined to solve this case. It had been bothering her for a few weeks that nothing noteworthy had come to her in all the time she had been reading and re reading the case notes. The answers were here somewhere. A man in a suit, clean and pressed, dress shoes and a briefcase, yet the face of a vagrant, unshaven and unclean. Hair that hadn’t been trimmed in months, a body that had not seen a bar of soap for an unsavoury length of time. The conclusion that had come to Vastra was the case of a man intent on disappearing. The simple clue of the shoes having been tied from the front, and not as one would if tying their own shoes. It seemed to Vastra that someone else had dressed this man. His death was thought to be of natural causes, caused by a life on the streets, and a battle with alternative medicine but there were marks on the body that could not be explained. Bruising around the ankles that would suggest this man had been dragged by someone, their tight grip leaving distinctive marks. Unfortunately, it cannot be distinguished as to whether the marks were made before or after death, however, the bruising to the back and front of the rib cage where slightly obscure. Lividity would only leave bruising on one side, where the blood would succumb to gravity. Yet bruising to both the front and back may suggest quite a different conclusion, possibly the result of violence, a fall or crushing. The body had been found after an approximation of 24 hours after death, but yet the discovery was made on a busy dock, that would have been heaving with dockworkers going about their day. If the man was killed where he lay, he would most certainly have been discovered far sooner. This leaving the conclusion that the man had died elsewhere. Where, she did not know, and from the evidence she had perused, a whom would also be required, and it was her job to find out.

Suddenly aware of the time, she found herself worried about Jenny’s whereabouts. The sensation irked her slightly; she felt worry and kindness tended to weaken ones senses. She did not want to be responsible for Jenny, she would look out for her as the Doctor had asked, a roof over her head and a steady wage, but responsibility was not something that came easy.

She stoked the fire that seemed to be slowly ebbing away, a distraction she would always welcome, the heat of the fire soaking through her skin to warm her blood. The sensation of being warm, close to heat always reminded her of home; it was like an eternal summer. A sudden realisation had occurred to her that she hadn’t given Jenny any means of entry back into the house. She was sure she would have heard a knock if one came, the front door being just a few feet away. As she got up to leave her study, hoping not to find the poor ape on the doorstep waiting to be let in, she could hear a soft voice coming from the other side of the door. A faint voice, singing a tune she was not familiar with, but a delightful one none the less. She lingered a little longer, not wanting it to stop. The sound seemed to warm her just as much as the roaring fire did only moments ago. She smiled to herself, as if finally submitting to the fact that Jenny Flint was a welcome distraction.

“You’re back.” Vastra tried not to startle Jenny but her efforts failed. She had followed the sound to the drawing room, a room she had not entered in quite a while.

“Oh! Ma’am, ever so sorry, you startled me. Yes, I’m back, sorry if all my noise disturbed you, I seem to ‘ave forgotten where I am.”

“Please, no need to apologise my dear. It is a welcome sound in this usually deathly quiet house. Pray tell, how did you get in? I realised in my haste to retreat to my study, I did not leave you a key.” She looked at Jenny, her long brunette hair now tied quite neatly into a bun; her new clothes seemed to fit her like they were painted on. She hadn’t noticed before how attractive she was, for an ape. Her light skin a stark contrast to the dark eyes that seem to look inside your very soul.

Jenny blushed slightly, embarrassed at what she was about to admit “I picked the lock ma’am. Don’t worry, there’s no damage, I made sure o’ that. I didn’t want to disturb you ma’am, I hope you don’t think bad of me.”

“Do you generally go around picking locks Jenny Flint?” Vastra asked in an amused tone.

“A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do ma’am.” Jenny replied, sheepishly looking to her feet as she did so. “Don’t get me wrong, I only took what I needed and no more. Someone would’ve ‘ad to work ‘ard for it, I just took enough for something to fill me belly every now and then thas all.”

“I don’t think any less of you Jenny, I am just curious as to where you acquired such a talent!”

“You look in the right places, and talk to the right people you can learn quite a few things out on the streets.” Jenny felt herself feeling a little less ashamed and possible slightly proud of the various skills she possessed.

“How old are you Jenny, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Not at all ma’am, I’m nineteen. Nineteen today in fact.” A sadness washed over Jenny in that instant, at the fact that she had not even remembered her own birthday until it was asked of her. Each day on the street was the same as any other, she could go weeks without knowing the date, or even which day of the week it was. It didn’t seem worth remembering such a day, with no one to share it with. She looked to Vastra, seeing the same sorrowful gaze in her eyes.

“Well then, Happy Birthday Jenny Flint” She said with the most sincere smile Jenny had seen in a long time. Jenny couldn’t help but smile the same smile, feeling a wash of hopefulness sweep over her.

“Thank you ma’am, I can honestly say this is probably the best birthday I have ever ‘ad”

Vastra liked to think that this poor girl must have had better birthdays, she started to wonder how she ended up on the street, but that would be a conversation for another time, and only if she was willing to share her story.

“Jenny, please follow me.” She motioned for Jenny to follow her out into the hallway, into another room that she was yet to visit. Jenny had already taken in upon herself to set to work in the hallway, and in the drawing room at the front of the house. She had noticed how little the room must have been used, the fires unlit, curtains drawn closed. It was a grand room that anyone would feel privileged to enter. Two columns stood to the left of the door from the hallway, and a chandelier hung from the ceiling. A grand fire place, she guessed it could be close to eight feet wide, lined with white marble was the centrepiece of the room. Two chesterfields sat perpendicular to the fireplace, one to the left and one to the right of it, facing a small glass table that could be considered rather dilapidated. It did not fit the grand room, but made it no less grand even so. The walls were devoid of any pictures or art work, but the lush red velvet curtains that hung at the windows were art in themselves. Intricately woven with gold lining, all Jenny could think about is how long it would take to clean them thoroughly without damaging them. A mirror bigger than she had ever seen before hung on wall opposite the fireplace, a complex gold leaf design surrounded it. The room was as beautiful as she had ever seen, and even more so. She wondered why Madame had no desire to use it.

She followed on as requested, the hallway already looking a little better, the light shining through the glass pane on the front door, glimmering across the polished surfaces.

As they passed the doors to the kitchen and study, they neared on the door at the end of the hallway. Jenny could already feel the change in temperature, heat seeming to be emanating from the door itself. Vastra opened the door into what would be described by many as a solarium, exotic plants filled the room, a small fountain the central piece to the astonishing décor, filled the room with the peaceful sound of running water. The room was hot, too hot for comfort, the glass panelled walls and ceiling exposing the room to the suns rays. The roaring wood burner to the back of the room was no doubt adding another layer of unnecessary warmth. As if to discreetly convey her current unease, Jenny pulled at the neck of her maid’s uniform, now feeling ever so slightly stifled.

“This is my sanctuary. This is where I come to think, to relax, or sometimes to work. You may see it as somewhat of an extension to my study.”

Jenny looked around the room, still in awe that such a place exists. “It’s wonderful ma’am, but if you don’t mind me sayin’, why’s it so bloody hot in here!?” A light sweat now gleamed over her skin.

“Please, take a seat my dear.” Vastra continued. “I will try and answer what I can, and I would appreciate the same of you. If we are to be under the same roof, I would imagine each of us would no doubt be comfortable with knowing each other a little better.”

Jenny took a seat in the wicker chair opposite Vastra “Of course ma’am.”

“Firstly, I will go over your role as my maid. You have already taken it upon yourself to commence with the cleaning of the place, of which I do appreciate. It does embarrass me slightly that I have been rather occupied by other interests. Along with the general upkeep of the house, there is the matter of the fires and the food. The reason that this room is so warm, is that I require it to be so. As with the rest of the house. At the moment, I only use the fires in the rooms that I use, purely due to the time it would take to keep each fire going. I would like to use the rest of the house, I hate to see it going to waste.” Jenny nodded along, listening intently. “As you are aware my dear, I am a reptilian, and therefore cold blooded. This does not mean that my blood is cold, merely that I do not produce my own body heat, I require other means to keep warm, and keep warm I must.”

“Of course ma’am, that will be my first priority” Jenny replied, eager to learn more of the fascinating woman in front of her.

“I do not eat what one would consider a standard diet. My food mainly consists of raw meat and blood…” Vastra held her hand out to stop the interruption she could see coming from Jenny’s direction “NOT human, before you ask. Last night was my first taste of human in a good many years, but needs must as they say.”

Jenny clamped her mouth shut just as she was about to speak, the hand letting her know that she would have her turn eventually.

“I also do not eat as often. Once a day is quite plenty. I would be grateful if you could see that I have a meal ready for me at 7pm daily. I have a standing agreement with Mr Colias, the butcher two streets over, to be picked up once a week on a Thursday morning.”

Jenny made a mental note to see to it that she introduces herself to Mr Colias. “Yes ma’am, is there anything else I may need to know?”

“Only that which you are already aware, when I am in my study, I will not be disturbed. Unless it is for dinner.”

“Yes ma’am, of course.”

“Secondly, I would like to know who you are Jenny Flint.” Vastra stated matter of factly. “I have a technique that was passed down to me from my mother, one that has yet to fail. I do not require anything more than one word answers. One word and no more. Are you ready?”

Jenny looked at Vastra as if she was mad, how can she get anything from one word? She would give in to her whim and play along. “Yes.”

Vastra smiled at the answer, she was expecting her to fall as the first hurdle, the simple “yes” from the girl opposite had proven her wrong already. “Who are you, Jenny Flint? Take your time, remember, just one word.”

Jenny sat chewing her lip, her mind reliving her past, the past that made her who she is. To describe it all in one word would surely be impossible. She thought back to her younger years, growing up as the daughter of a sweep and a seamstress, a meagre life, but a happy one. Filled with all the love and happiness any child deserves. She remembered growing up, playing in the streets, muddying her dresses and scraping her knees, as well as any of the boys could. She remembered the scalding her mother gave her when she ripped her new summer dress she had spent weeks sewing for her. The feeling of guilt that she had felt for upsetting her mother. But nothing like the guilt she felt the day she left. She remembered that day, more than any other. Nothing she could do would take away the pain she felt at the shame in her parents’ eyes.

“Sorrow” The world left her mouth before she could understand why she said it.

Vastra looked at Jenny, she could see the grief in her eyes. She took her answer to think on later. “Why did you stay?”

“Hope” That one was easy, Jenny though to herself. Hope was the one thing she had clung on to.

Vastra smiled at the swiftness of her second answer. “Why did you not run?”

“Intrigue” Another easy one Jenny thought. She was getting good at this game.

“What is your favourite food?”

“Bacon” Jenny laughed slightly at the question, she assumed it was Vastra's way of lightening the mood.

“What do cows drink?” Vastra wanted to see how her mind worked.

“Water” Jenny answered without a beat.

Vastra was impressed, knowing the usual answer in a quick fire questioning would have been milk. She decided that Jenny was now loose enough for her answers to flow freely. “What do you see when you look at me?”

“Beauty” The words left her lips before she could stop herself, her eyes opening wide at her admission, her cheeks blushing profusely.

“Thank you Jenny.” Vastra shifted slightly in her chair, a slight blush also spread through her, but she hoped she didn’t notice. “That will do for now, I think I may know you better than you know yourself.” She smiled softly to Jenny, letting her know that she had done well. “Now, do you have any questions for me?”

“Just the one ma’am, if you don’t mind. If you are from the dawn of time, how is it that you are here?”

“I was awoken from my slumber by the tunnel diggers. My family and I, and our entire race entered into a sleep state, for fear of a meteorite hurtling toward the Earth. It was our protection, with the intention of awakening once the calmness returned. I can only assume the calculations where off, but it seems the heart of the system was damaged on impact. It was set to awaken us a thousand years later, but there we slept, thousands growing to millions. My pod was struck by workers on the construction of the new underground rail system. To say I was a little grumpy on being woken was an understatement.”

Jenny listened on intently, she was amazed that such things had ever existed. A means to sleep and not die? To then wake in another world entirely seems quite the adventure. “Were you the only one to wake? Was there no one else?”

“I am afraid not. Lucky me!” Vastra said solemnly. “Now Jenny, I have rather important matters to attend to in my study, I trust that you are comfortable with your new role?”

“Oh, yes ma’am, sorry to take up your time. You go ahead, I’ll get on with me chores.”

“Jenny? If you wouldn’t mind ever so, I would love a pot of tea.”


	5. Chapter 5

_Get out of my house you evil child, get away from me! How dare you! You disgust me, dirty filthy whore._

Jenny woke with a start. Sweat gleaming across her brow, her rapid heartbeat threatening to break through her chest. She took a moment to calm herself, trying to rid the images left by her nightmare. She thought she had come to accept how things had turned out for her, her subconscious thought otherwise. The dreams that once invaded every sleeping moment, had ebbed away the further she grew from her life as it once was. This was the first she had had in a long while. The abrupt start had woken her two hours before she was usually ready to rise. At 4.23 am, the house was still and quiet, the moonlight peeking through the slit in the heavy curtains. The autumn months had turned slowly into winter, she had never been so grateful of a warm place to call home. The harsh streets of London were a cruel place to lay your head, even more so in winter.

Succumbing to the fact that she was now wide awake, Jenny decided to make a start on the day’s chores. It had been a full four weeks since that night, since the day she came to 13 Paternoster Row. She would even say that she was glad to have been set upon by those thugs in the alley, how different her life would have been if fate hadn’t laid its hand.

Rising from the bed, she walked over to her basin and filled it with warm water. She pulled the wet cloth over her skin, ridding herself of the dream induced sweat, hoping to wash away the memories along with it. She looked into the mirror, and pulled the brush through her long hair, and tied it into the neatest bun she could manage, her hands were still shaking slightly from the upsetting images burning through her mind. She dressed, and put on her house shoes, ready to start the day.

As she neared the bottom of the stairs, she could hear movement. The house was still in darkness, and Madame did not rise until gone 9 usually. She pressed her back up against the wall, and slowed her breathing, trying with all her might to remain quiet. Edging herself further through the hallway, a figure came into view……

Vastra could sense Jenny’s presence. She remained still and silent. She had returned from a particularly fruitful evening of surveillance on a suspect, now certain that he was in fact the murderer. She would submit her findings to Scotland Yard in the morning. Feeling quite happy with herself, adrenaline still coursing through her veins, she wanted to play a little game with Jenny. A smile graced her lips as she stood stock still, listening for any movement, any breath….

As Jenny’s eyes adjusted to the light, she saw a caped figure, a dark hood hiding the intruder from view. They had their back towards her, and what shocked Jenny the most was the weapon that was strapped to the back of the assailant. A long sword, the details concealed by the darkness, but the silhouette unmistakably that of a weapon. She gasped, quickly bringing her hand to cover her mouth to quieten the rush of air. As she crept closer, her footsteps silent on the tiled floor, a protectiveness washed over her, she would not let anything happen to this house, or its lone inhabitant…..

Vastra could feel Jenny closing in on her, her scent filling her nostrils. She breathed in the aroma, the scent of home, she thought to herself. She had become quite accustomed to having the little ape around the house. She stilled her movements once more, bracing herself for whatever Jenny was about to do, the smirk still playing at her lips, wondering if the girl was indeed brave enough…

Jenny reached a hand out in front of her, now mere feet away from the intruder. She centred herself, going over her tactics in her mind, readying herself for what may face her. In once swift movement, she pulled the sword from its sheath with her right hand, hooking her left arm around the intruders’ neck. She was a little shorter than her opponent, but that didn’t stop her. She brought the sword around to the figures front, the blade glistening in the moonlight.

“You better have a valid reason for bein’ in this house, or I’m gonna gut ya’” her voice came out in a harsh whisper, the malice was intended but she was still surprised by her own tone….

Vastra was feeling quite proud of Jenny, she had managed to disarm her, and intimidate her in one swift movement. Although Vastra knew she had let Jenny get this far, she was no match for a Silurian warrior, but the courage was there none the less. She brought a hand up to the arm currently wrapped around her throat, a gentle touch of her gloved hand grazing Jenny’s soft skin.

“My dear, I live here.” Vastra replied in a soft whisper. In seconds, she had managed to disarm Jenny, the sword clattering to the floor, Jenny now had her back to Vastra’s front, arms locked behind her. Vastra leaned down to whisper in Jenny’s ear “I am quite parched my dear, would you be so kind as to pop the kettle on?”

Jenny didn’t have time to react, now finding herself rather defenceless and stunned, not only by the predicament she now found herself in, but by the warm breath that had caressed her ear so lightly. “Ma’am! What the bloody ‘ell are you playin’ at! I coulda killed ya!”

A playful laugh was Vastra’s reply. Letting Jenny’s arms loose, she removed her hooded cloak and hung it on the rack, picking up the sword from the floor; she replaced it in the sheath and found it a temporary home on the umbrella stand.

“Come Jenny, have tea with me. I feel there is something I must explain.”

As Vastra made her way into the kitchen, Jenny watched on, eyes wide and mouth agape, trying to will her feet to move. She shook herself from her moment of stupor, and followed on to the kitchen. Vastra had already taken it upon herself to place the kettle on the stove, the water almost at boiling point. The young maid got to work, setting out the tea tray with two china cups, sugar and milk. As the kettle started to whistle, Jenny couldn’t help but jump at the sound. Still slightly puzzled by the strange morning she was having.

She sat at the kitchen table, taking the available seat to the right of Vastra. She poured the tea, her hands shaking ever so slightly. Vastra had been watching the girl intently since she had reappeared in the kitchen. The lone candle in the middle of the table the only light, Jenny’s silhouette dancing in the shadows. The amused grin had now been replaced by a soft smile, almost feeling a little guilty for scaring Jenny.

Jenny set the tea down in front of them, finally letting out an agitated sigh, her head slumping down onto her crossed arms atop the table. Her voice barely more than a whisper, “You are gonna be the death of me lady. I’m bloody knackered after all that excitement.”

She lifted her head and looked to the woman on her left, “Explain away Madame, the floor is yours!” Jenny was getting a little annoyed; she didn’t like to be frightened like that.

Vastra could sense that she had upset Jenny, but she meant her no harm. “I do apologise for my impish behaviour, although I did find it quite amusing.” Vastra smiled at Jenny, hoping for her to see the funny side too.

“Ma’am, forgive me for not laughing, I am still trying to work out exactly why you were out in the middle of the night with a sword! Not that it’s any of my business of course, but I would like to know if caped invaders are going to be a regular occurrence, just so’s I can brace meself, that’s all.” Jenny didn’t want to pry into the private life of her employer, but it would have been decent of her to have given prior warning.

“No, it is your business Jenny. This house is as much your home as it is mine. I think it only fair that you should know my comings and goings so to speak, I didn’t mean to alarm you.” Vastra reached out to touch Jenny’s hand in an attempt to comfort the girl, enjoying the comfort that the touch brought to herself in turn.

“When we first met, I explained to you that I am of a species of beings tha…..”

“ Yes, yes, lizard woman from the dawn of time and all that, what’s that got to do with the price of cheese?” Jenny interrupted, exasperated by the whole ordeal.

“Cheese? I’m not quite sure it has anything to do with it. Are you hungry?”

“No ma’am, sorry for interruptin. I’m not hungry, scared out me wits, but no, not hungry. It’s an expression, never mind me, you carry on.” Jenny felt a little embarrassed by her outburst. It was not her place to talk to her employer with such brashness.

“Very well. As I was saying,” Vastra eyed Jenny with a glare that she hoped conveyed her need for a moment of silence for her to explain, “I am a warrior, or I was once a warrior. I am trained in the art of hand to hand combat, and I am also quite handy with a sword, amongst other things. My species were accustomed to tracking and hunting their pray. My keen sense of smell and my expert vision are slightly more advanced than the human species, and so I have taken it on myself to use these skills in this era, to assist in the apprehension of criminals.” Vastra took a long sip of her tea. She could see Jenny was listening intently, but was about to open her mouth to speak, Vastra carried on, stopping Jenny in her tracks. “I have an agreement with Inspector Abberline of Scotland Yard, I am to investigate such cases as they deem unsolvable, which unsettlingly seems to be quite a few. I am what you may call, a consulting detective. Any questions my dear?”

Jenny took a moment to absorb the information, her eyes staring into the empty space in front of her, the cogs in her mind working overtime. “I think that explains most of it ma’am, thank you for clearing that up for me. So that’s what you’re doing in your study then, solving crimes?”

“Yes, mostly. Come Jenny, I would like to show you something.” Vastra rose from her seat, and headed for the door to her study. “Now, before we enter, I must warn you. You may see some things that are quite unsettling. Some of the cases that come my way are not short of violent behaviour.” With that, Vastra pressed on the door handle, the door creaking open, letting Jenny peer inside.

Vastra motioned for Jenny to enter, following her close behind. She turned on the gas lamp, the glow of the slowly dying fire not quite sufficient to illuminate the room. Vastra stood in the doorway, allowing Jenny to survey the room as she saw fit.

Jenny took in the scenery before her, stacks of files littered a grand desk in the centre of the room, photographs of various seemingly insignificant things peeked out from pages, a chalkboard stood to the left of the room, scribblings etched on to the dark slate. More photographs and diagrams were pinned to the sides of the board, surrounding the white writing, acting as somewhat of a border. Jenny took a closer look at some of the images, gasping at one in particular of a dead man, his arms and legs quite detached from the rest of his body.

Vastra could see the maid was a little upset by the images, “This is why I was insistent that you did not enter this room. Some of the things I have to see do not sit well with others.” Vastra walked up to Jenny, and motioned for her to sit on the chair behind the desk. “I have been following a certain gentleman, of whom I am now certain is the culprit.” Vastra pointed to the image of the mutilated man, “He will have his justice, I have seen to that.” She smiled at Jenny, as if to reassure her.

“Ma’am, do you ever use those swords? On the criminals I mean?” Jenny could not take her eyes away from the images and writings that were spread across the desk in front of her.

“No, not unless it is necessary. They are merely there as a precaution. Should I be set upon by someone, I am able to defend myself. Usually, if I am seen, which I assure you is very rarely, the sight of the sword alone is enough to deter any would be attacker.”

Jenny found herself feeling quite overwhelmed with all of the information, but still eager to know the woman in front of her, all that she was willing to share. “Thank you ma’am, for sharing this with me.”

“I have just one more thing, it seems rather unnecessary to keep this from you,” Vastra couldn’t hide the mischievous grin that had formed on her face, her perfectly straight white teeth gleaming in the gaslight. She reached under the desk, just to the right of where Jenny was sat. She watched Vastra intently, her close proximity slightly unnerving her, but it was welcome.

A clunking noise pulled Jenny’s gaze to the floor in front of the desk, the floorboards creaking as they parted from each other. A gaping hole appeared before her. She stood from the seat, gasping as she did so.

“Jenny, this is my training room.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may have noticed, as yet untitled is now titled : )


	6. Chapter 6

As Jenny milled around the house, checking her work as she went, she thought back to the events of this morning. Her tired body ached from the days chores, but her mind still raced with all the information she had learned about her mistress. She was a warrior, a detective, a crime fighting lizard woman from the dawn of time. Secret rooms and hidden weapons, she was starting to wonder what she had gotten herself into. The more she thought of how dangerous this woman could be, the more it intrigued her. Vastra had been nothing but kind to Jenny, and Jenny had an affinity for her that she could not explain, neither did she want to. She found herself quite taken by the woman, her appearance, although obviously not of this world, seemed to stir something in Jenny she would rather keep buried deep. She was not yet ready to call it an attraction, more of a fascination.

The weeks grew into months, the days growing darker and colder. Vastra found herself at a loss. Her current workload had eased slightly due to the cold, it seems even the criminals are preferring to hide themselves away for the winter. As she sat at the kitchen table, she admired her surroundings. Jenny had fulfilled her duties as a maid, and more so. 13 Paternoster Row could open its door to visitors, a museum of cleanliness and order (and possibly slightly more obscure things). She was proud of the young ape, and enjoying her company even more so. As she watched the hem of the black dress dance in front of her, it’s owner going about her daily routine, she found herself admiring the way Jenny moved, each move was deliberate, like a dance she had danced a hundred times. Graceful and peaceful. Vastra watched on, her newspaper redundant on the table in front, admiring the figure before her, until the movements ceased suddenly. Her eyes moved from the hem of the skirt, slowly lifting until a questioning stare looked back at her. Vastra blushed slightly, caught in the act once again. This time, she did not look away, she gazed at Jenny’s face, a smile growing on her lips. She could see that Jenny was a little flustered, one eyebrow raised in a questioning manner, yet the slight blush to her cheeks suggested she was not quite sure where to look.

“Is there anything you would like to do today Jenny?” The question shook Jenny from her questioning glare.

“I do have quite a few chores left on my to-do list ma’am, am I am hoping to get those done eventually.”

“I see.” Vastra replied, a little disappointment laced the words.

“I do actually have a small request for you though ma’am, if it wouldn’t be too much trouble. I can see you are starting to get a little bored, I think I have come to know your moods quite well over the last few months!” Jenny resisted laughing at the pout that appeared on Vastra’s face.

“I do find myself rather at a loss as what to do with my time at the moment. What can I do for you my dear?”

“Well, seeing as you’ve got a bit of spare time of an evening, could you teach me to write? I can read and spell quite well, although I’m sure you will correct me if I’m wrong, but my notes look like a spider has fallen into an ink well and scurried across the page.”

Vastra laughed at the image, but was sure to let Jenny know it was not her lack of writing skills that amused her “You do have quite the imagination my dear, inky spiders paint quite the picture so to speak.” Vastra straightened herself, “Of course my dear, I would be happy to do so. I will let you carry on with your chores, but please do not make hard work for yourself. Come to my study at four pm.”

With that, Vastra excused herself from the table, “I’m going out for some fresh air, I shan’t be too long.” She made for the front door, taking her veil and gloves, and a fur lined coat to keep her warm. She made her way out onto the streets, her destination set. Her dull day seemed to be looking up ever so slightly. She was determined to tell herself that it was purely the fact that she would have something to occupy her time, but there was a niggling worm of an idea that it may be the thought of being able to spend a little more time with Jenny. Scolding herself for even the mere idea, she brushed it aside, and carried on through the icy streets.

Jenny had found herself quite excited by the concept of spending more time with her mistress, weaving a little white lie just to do so. She could write well enough, she was sure of that. It could do with a little improvement, yes, but she did hate seeing Vastra so bored, not only was it a sorry sight, but she did tend to get under her feet. There were few moments in which they had found themselves in the same room, and each time Jenny had felt a little warmer at her presence. This morning for instance, when she was in her own little world, tidying the kitchen from the mornings breakfast. She could feel the room change when Vastra walked in. Something stirred in her. She didn’t need to see or hear her, she just knew she was there. She could feel herself being watched, and she liked it. She had warmed at the thought of the cerulean blue eyes watching her movements. She had to turn to see if what she was feeling was indeed what was happening, and seeing those gleaming eyes rake up her body made her flush in a way she didn’t know was possible. She wasn’t going to let her get away with it easily though. Trying her best to put on a stern face, she smiled inwardly at the blush that crept up Vastra’s green cheeks as she was caught in the act. She was glad of the interruption when Vastra spoke, unsure if she could hold the gaze for much longer as rich brown stared in to deep blue.

As the hours passed, Jenny started to wonder where Vastra had got to, it was nearing 3 in the afternoon, and there had been no sign of her since she left this morning. She looked through drawing room window on to the streets outside, dark clouds hung in the afternoon sky, threatening to shed their load on to the cobbles below. As if sensing her worry, a presence fell upon the room.

“What are we looking at?” Jenny jumped at the close proximity of the voice behind her, she knew Vastra had returned, she could feel it. But she didn’t know how she had managed to sneak up on her so quickly.

“Bleedin’ ‘ell woman. You tryin’ ta to kill me?” Jenny gasped as she held a hand to her chest, trying to steady her own heart back to a normal rhythm. “I was looking for you as it happens.”

“Why, I’m right here,” Vastra replied with a grin, knowing full well it was her intention to make the girl jump. “And no, I am not trying to kill you. I do not buy gifts for people I want to kill.” As she did so, she reached her hand around in front of Jenny, producing a gift wrapped box, finished off with a perfectly tied bow. “Consider this an early Christmas present. It is your custom, is it not?”

“A gift?” Jenny turned and smiled up at Vastra, a genuine smile of gratitude. “I can’t say that I remember the last time someone gave me a gift, so beautifully wrapped too. Thank you ma’am, I don’t know what to say.” Jenny held the box to her, tears welling in her eyes as she looked at Vastra.

“You have yet to open it, you might not like it.” Vastra replied, attempting for the comment to come across in jest, yet the worry at the thought seemed to show on her face.

“I’m sure I will ma’am, it’s from you after all.” Jenny missed the change in Vastra’s eyes as she looked down at the gift in her hand, gently pulling at the bow to loosen its grip, she carefully unfurled the paper from around the box, revealing an intricate pattern etched in gold, onto a dark wooden lid. The letters J F stood out to her the most. This was truly a gift for her, and no other. “Oh ma’am, it’s beautiful!” she looked up to Vastra to see her staring intently, a concern showed on her face.

“You like it?” Vastra smiled, the worry in her eyes now long gone. “Open it my dear, the gift is inside,” she added excitedly, “You will need it for our lesson later.”

Jenny lifted the lid to reveal yet another exquisite example of craftsmanship, inside the box was the most beautiful pen Jenny had ever seen. It had been created from mahogany wood, an exact match of the box. It had been polished and shined almost enough to be able to see her own reflection. The gold-leaf matching the pattern of the box, a small inscription had been scribed onto the barrel, she lifted the pen closer, so she could make out what it said ‘ _Write your own path’_ , the words seemed to tug at Jenny’s heart, it was not just the thoughtfulness of the gesture, but the meaning of those words, she was sure meant more to her than Vastra had realised. She had no words, without thought for politeness or properness; she enveloped Vastra into her arms, and held her as tight as she could.

Vastra was taken aback by the act, but succumbed to it none the less. The feeling of Jenny’s warm body against hers was exhilarating. She mirrored Jenny, wrapping her arms around the young ape, relishing the heat and the scent that now encompassed her.

“Thank you ma’am, you have no idea what this means to me.” A tear made its way down her cheek, she reached up to brush it aside as she released her hold on the woman in front.

Vastra was sorry at the loss of her heat source, determined that it was all it was, a source of heat. She ignored the little imp in her mind telling her otherwise. “You are very welcome my dear. I thought it best you have your own, mine are slightly worse for wear from over use!” Vastra tried to make light of the gift, imply that it was necessity rather than a need to make Jenny smile. On the contrary, the time she had taken to choose the gift, and the fact that she had waited almost two hours for the engraver to return from his previous job would almost certainly imply the latter.

“Now, we have an hour until our lesson, I am going to warm up in front of the fire, it’s frightfully cold out there.” Vastra left the room and made way to her study. She needed a moment to compose herself. Seating cross legged on the floor, facing the burning embers, she took a position most akin to one of meditation. She closed her eyes, and let out a breath. There was a feeling inside her she was sure she would never get to experience. She had heard about it from her sisters as she was growing up, she remembered the words of her eldest sibling Valore, on the day she was to be bound to her mate, how it felt to know that you had found your mate. It was not uncommon for Silurian to find themselves bound to another female, nor was it ever frowned upon as it is in this era. It was, however, very uncommon to think this way about an ape, in fact, it was impossible. Of course, apes are not as they once were, they are not primitive beings, they are highly advanced in comparison to the ones she would hunt as a child. They had conscious thought, and a heart and soul. She had learned as much over the last few years. Seeing the devastation that murder could have on a victim’s family, the pain that would never leave their eyes. They had hope, they had reason. They were not Silurian, but neither were they monkeys. As she felt the heat of the fire warm her blood, the icy chill from being outside finally ebbing away, she reasoned with herself. I am not human, and she is not Silurian. She is my maid, and I am her mistress. She would suppress the thoughts, stifle the feelings, it was her burden to carry. She did not want to scare poor Jenny away. The thought of her being another female was surely enough to disgust her, let alone the fact that she was a reptile.

A soft knock at the door stirred Vastra from her thoughts. She looked at her pocket watch, four o’clock already, where had the time gone.

“Come in.” She rose from her position on the floor and brushed the front of her dress, ridding it of any creases that may have formed as Jenny walked in hesitantly “Ah, Jenny, please. Take a seat.”

With that, Jenny made her way to sit at the offered chair. Having previously been used as another shelf for case files, it now sat at the desk, next to Vastra’s own. “Thank you ma’am” She placed her new pen down on the desk to her right. A slight nervousness settled in her stomach as she looked to the chair to her right, the arms resting just centimetres apart. Almost deciding that this wasn’t the best idea, being so close to Vastra may be a temptation she would not be able to resist, she took a breath as she closed her eyes, settling her nerves.

“To begin, I would like to watch you write,” Vastra took her seat next to Jenny, making every effort to keep a safe distance “I can then see the areas that need improvement.”

Jenny lifted the pen from the case, having already filled the inner chamber with sufficient ink. It was heavier than she was used to, but the weight seemed comfortable. As she put ink to paper, starting with her own name, she was pleased with how the pen flowed across the pages, seeming to already know its path without her guidance.

“Again.”

Jenny followed Vastra’s instruction, and wrote her name again.

“Again, and do not stop until I say.”

Jenny continued line after line, Jenny Flint after Jenny Flint. Having filled the page with her scrawl, she could already see an improvement. Although she had at first tried to appear less competent than she had thought she was, it only took a few lines for her to realise how out of practice she actually was. It had occurred to her that her schooling days were many years passed, and having been quite the prodigy at a young age, the lack of use had certainly affected her handwriting.

Vastra watched intently, the concentration on Jenny’s face was endearing. She found herself watching the young woman bite on her bottom lip more than she was watching her write. She made a concerted effort to draw her gaze back to the page in front, and the hand that caressed it.

“Stop.”

Jenny stopped abruptly, ink pooling onto the page where she hadn’t dared to lift the pen.

“Do you see the improvement already?” Vastra motioned to the paper, seeing the obvious change from the top of the page to the bottom. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but it was neat enough, “Practice makes perfect, so they say. I do have one note for now, the way you are holding the pen.”

Jenny looked down to her hand, she couldn’t see a problem. “Sorry ma’am, can you show me what you mean?”

Vastra took her own pen in hand “You see the way the pen rests on the part of the hand between the thumb and forefinger? This is where the pen sits most comfortably. The weight is rested, while the thumb and forefinger placed an inch above the tip, do not grip but gently guide the pen across the page.”

Jenny looked down at her own hand, noticing how red her fingertips where from the grasp she had on the pen. The barrel pushing against the bone of her knuckle, the persistent movement would cause a blister eventually.

“Here, let me show you.” Vastra rose from her seat, coming to stand behind Jenny. She reached down to Jenny’s hand, positioning the pen as she did in her own. She heard Jenny’s breath hitch as scales grazed skin, and smiled to herself. At least she wasn’t the only one this was having an effect on. “Can you feel the weight of the pen, more settled? Like a pillow for its head. Writing should not be a chore; a pen needs to be comfortable in hand.” She covered Jenny’s hand with her own, moving it towards the paper, she let Jenny take the lead, correcting her if she needed to.

Jenny had her eyes closed. Relishing in the cool touch, a stark contrast to her own warm skin. Warming further at the touch. She hadn’t taken the time before to really appreciate the soft touch of Vastra’s skin. She had felt it before, a brief touch as a china cup was handed from one to the other. A grazing of hands as they passed on the stairs. This was different, intentional. Maybe not the intention that she subconsciously longed for, but intentional all the same. The scales were not rough as one might think, but smooth and soft as silk. The coolness surprising, but pleasant. She could hear Vastra’s soft voice behind her, feeling her hand move across the desk in front. She opened her eyes, mentally shaking herself back to the present moment. She took the lead, putting pen to paper, but this time the name was not her own.

Vastra watched on intently, she could feel Jenny now taking the lead. The ink flowed, the word becoming clear, _Vastra._ Another followed, _Vastra._ She took her hand from Jenny’s, regretting the feeling of loss instantly. She watched on as the same word covered the page, over and over again. She studied the curves and the lines, never having seen her name in any other hand but her own with such elegance and grace. The _V_ stood tall above the other letters, the _a_ and _s_ flowed together as if they were meant never to be separate, the _t_ was sharp and confident, leading on effortlessly into the _r_ , the _a_ finishing of the word in such a way that would make a reader want to elongate the syllable. It was perfect. It would seem that Jenny had got the hang of it. “Stop.” The word was soft, quiet.

Jenny looked down to the page in front, she could see the difference, not sure whether it was the way she was now holding the pen, or the new found muse, but she was impressed. “It seems you have quite a knack for teaching ma’am.” She smiled up at Vastra, the glint in her eye not going unnoticed by the older woman.

“I rather think it depends on the student my dear, you can only teach those who are willing to learn.” She placed a gentle hand on to Jenny’s shoulder. “That’s enough for today, I would like you to practice though Jenny, take this book, pages 89 to 93.” Vastra thought she would kill two birds with one stone, as she handed Jenny a book on the anatomy of all living things (this section in particular pertaining to reptilians), smiling as she did so. “I would like you to reproduce the words, and please remember it is the cursive being tested, do not rush it.”

Jenny took the book as she stood, feeling despondent that the lesson was now over, but grateful for the chance to release the breath she had been holding since the hand had come to rest on her shoulder. “Of course ma’am, thank you for spending your time with me this afternoon, I know you are quite at a loss of what to do at the moment, but your time is still your own, so thank you for sharing it with me, I rather enjoyed it.” The smile that spread across Jenny’s face coming across as sincere as she had hoped, receiving a bashful grin in return.

“As did I Jenny.” _more than you know_ she added only to herself. Jenny turned and left the room, closing the door behind her. “Jenny Flint, I feel that you are going to be the death of me, one way or another.” The words seeming to admit to herself that she was indeed in a lot of trouble.


	7. Chapter 7

Jenny left the study in somewhat of a hurry, Vastra’s name still lingered at her finger tips. She couldn’t quite explain what had come over her, initially she just wanted to test her hand at a name other than her own, but once she had started, her movements across the page seemed to be out of her conscious control. The touch of Vastra’s hand seeming to spur her on.

Jenny was quite aware of her preference in companionship, not that she had ever had one. She had enjoyed the company of others like her before, but she wouldn’t call them a companion. Never having thoughts for anyone of the opposite sex, she had admitted to herself that this is who she was, not by choice or need to be defiant, but it just was. It is because of who she was that she ended up on the streets. Her mother and father loved her dearly, she knew that. Or at least they used to. She thought they would understand, if she could just explain it to them. How naïve she was. How her life had changed in just those few minutes. She could have told them she would try to change, to be like the other girls, but she didn’t want to. Why should she be something she is not? A few moments, and a few words later, her life went from love and happiness, to hatred and darkness.

She couldn’t let this happened again, she didn’t want Vastra to cast her out like her parents did. She had come to love this home. Determined not to make another slip up, she vowed to keep her distance from Vastra as much as possible. She couldn’t be seen to be fawning over another woman, especially when that woman was her mistress, a mistress that thought of her as only a maid.

****

The past few days had been difficult to say the least. Vastra was still moping around the house, little to occupy her mind. She sat at the kitchen table as she did every morning, reading the daily newspaper, scouring the pages for anything of interest. The most notable article being a thief of ladies undergarments, she had almost decided to pursue the matter further when Jenny walked in, her attention now entirely elsewhere.

“Good mornin’ ma’am, sleep well?” Jenny continued with her mop to the floor, resisting the urge to glance at her mistress. If she had done, she would have noticed the smile that now adorned the scaled features.

“Yes Jenny, thank you. I trust you did also?” Vastra replied in an attempt to keep the conversation going. She had noticed a change in Jenny since their lesson three days ago, she seemed a little standoffish and aloof. The one thing that Vastra had enjoyed while her work had been slow, were the moments she had got to spend with Jenny. They now seemed few and far between, and even when they were in the same room, few words were spoken.

“Yes ma’am. I have to go into the market today to fetch a few things, is there anything I can get for you while I’m out?” Jenny maintained her professional manor. Unwilling to overstep the mark ever again.

“No my dear, I cannot think of anything.” Vastra got up from her chair, and walked over to where Jenny was currently scrubbing at a mark on the tiled floor, “I do realise that tomorrow is Christmas Day, I don’t usually partake in the usual human customs, but I understand this may be something you wish to do? I won’t be offended if there is someone else you would rather spend your day with.” Vastra was disappointed at the thought of not seeing Jenny, but understanding that she may have another place to be.

“If it’s all the same to you ma’am, I’ll be quite happy here.” Jenny’s smile not true enough to hide the sadness in her eyes. “Me and my family aren’t exactly on talking terms.”

“What about friends? Or a particular…… person that may be missing you?” Vastra questioned, not sure of the answer she was hoping for, a no would mean one thing, but it would also mean she was quite alone. The thought tugged at Vastra’s heart. Jenny deserved a thousand friends.

“No ma’am.” Jenny turned away from the inquisitive eyes, she could feel tears starting to pool in her in her own. “I best be going ma’am, I don’t want to get stuck in the Christmas Eve rush. I’ll finish up here when I get back if it’s all the same to you.” With that, Jenny hastily stowed the mop away in it’s bucket, pushing it to the corner of the room. She turned and walked out without a second glance back.

Vastra watched on as Jenny put on her coat and walked out into the morning air. She was a little taken aback by the abrupt exit, anger growing inside her at the insensitiveness of her questioning. It didn’t take a detective to understand the reason Jenny was on the street. She had no family. In her attempt to get to know Jenny a little more, or even just to talk to Jenny, her line of interrogation had taken an all too personal turn. She thought back to the test she had given Jenny on her first day as her maid. Remembering the word sorrow, the answer to the question ‘Who are you’. Anyone that could describe themselves as sorrow personified could not have had a happy life. She scolded herself for her tactlessness, determined to make it up to Jenny when she returned.

****

As the young maid walked through the packed streets of London, she thought back to the conversation, or lack of one. She didn’t mean to come across as though she didn’t want to talk to Vastra, she just didn’t know if she had the courage.

“Oi you little shite!” she grabbed the hand at her pocket, snapping her mind back to the present. She spun around to face the culprit, the image that faced her was akin to looking into a mirror, but a mirror of the past. The young girl, Jenny would have thought to be around 13 or 14, hair matted with dirt and grease and a soot stained face, could well have been a younger sibling. She new it wasn’t, she was an only child, her mother unable to bare children after she had given birth to Jenny. She couldn’t help but feel sorry for the would be pickpocket. “Sometimes, all you have to do is ask. Not everyone round ‘ere is ignorant.” She took out a coin out of her pocket, and placed it in the palm of the girls hand. “Go and get something to eat, and this” she handed the girl another few coins, “is to get yourself a warm bed for the next couple of nights.”

“Fanks miss, I’m sorry for tryin’ ta take for meself.” The girl looked up at Jenny, her smile so big it stretched to her eyes. “Merry Christmas miss!” She added as she ran through the streets, straight to the sweet shop.

“Merry Christmas!” Jenny replied. “Don’t spend it all on lemon sherbets!!” She laughed, knowing full well that’s exactly what she would have done at that age. She carried on through the market, making her way to Mr Colias, the butcher. The usual Thursday collection being moved a day early due to it being Christmas Day.

“Good Morning Miss Jenny,” Mr Colias greeted her with a warm smile.

“Morning Jim, ow’s business?” She had come to know the man quite well over the last few months, he was a warm soul. Nearing on eighty years old he kept reminding her every now and then.

“Oh boomin’ as usual my ducks, boomin’ as usual. All me turkeys are sold, got a couple a geese and a pheasant if your interested though?” he lifted up the birds, still plump with down, their heads swinging at their necks a Mr Colias thrust them in front of Jenny’s face.

“No Jim, thanks all the same” Jenny took a step back, she wasn’t at all squeamish but didn’t quite fancy getting goose down on her coat, it seemed to take root in the thick material. “I’m just after the usual for Madame, as much blood as you got though, she seems to be guzzling it down at the minute! And if you got a bit of lambs heart going spare, I’d like to think it would be a nice treat.”

“Right you are Miss, I’ll have it ready in a jiffy!”

Jenny took the moment of quiet to watch the hustle and bustle through the window. Her view perfectly framed with dozens of sausages, linked and hung much like a Christmas wreath. She smiled at the thought, as she looked on at the people walking past. Lovers holding hands, children laughing and playing with their siblings, their little legs struggling to keep up with the mothers rushing through the street.

“Right, all done for ya miss Jenny, there’s a little something extra in there for you to,” Jim winked at her, “I saw you admirin’ me sausages!”

Jenny laughed, “That I was Jim, thank you. You take care now, you’re nearly eighty you know!” She handed over five shillings and sixpence, enough to give him a small Christmas tip. With a final ‘Merry Christmas’ she turned to leave, back into the cold air. One more stop, then back home, she thought to herself.

Back at Paternoster Row, Vastra was idly twiddling with the curtain tiebacks in the drawing room. She had come to enjoy spending her time in here, the vast fireplace seemed to give of enough heat to warm the entire house for any human, not quite enough for a Silurian though. She told herself she was not looking out for Jenny’s return, merely admiring the intricate design of the gold laced curtains. It had been a while since she had bought them, she wanted to remind herself of their detail. Bored once again, she retreated to one of the chesterfields. Kicking of her shoes, she swung her legs up to rest on the other end, leaning her head back against the arm. She took the book from the table to her side, opening it to the first page. “Hmmm, not one of mine,” she said to herself as she flicked back to read the cover ‘ _Through the Looking Glass’_ “Must be one of the little apes.” she turned to the first page, hoping that her mind would settle once occupied.

She stood, walking towards the fireplace, staring intently at the mirror above. A ripple brushed over the glass, like water being disturbed by a falling pebble. She reached out her hand, surprised at the way her fingers seemed to break through the divide. Impossible as it seemed, her hand followed, then her arm. She stepped on to the marble stones, reaching up further as she did so. Climbing higher, she moved further into the mirror. She could hear someone calling, from far away. She knew who’s voice it was, but she couldn’t see her. The voice seemed to grow closer and closer…..

“Ma’am! Ma’am? I’m back, would you like some tea?”

Vastra jumped with a start, the book resting on her face had now fallen to the floor.

“Sorry ma’am,” Jenny spoke quietly, “I didn’t know you were asleep, I would have left you to your nap.”

“Jenny, you’re back. I had the strangest dream…” She looked down at the book on the floor, picking it up and placing it back on the side table, pushing it slightly further away as if to shoo an unwanted creature. “Tea would be lovely my dear, how was your walk?”

“Lovely ma’am, it’s always nice to take a walk on Christmas Eve, the mood on the streets seems to be lifted slightly, everyone enjoying the merriment of it.” Jenny smiled as she looked at Vastra. She did look quite adorable, slightly frazzled by the rude awakening. “I’ll go get the kettle on ma’am, while you bring yourself back from the land of nod.”

As the kettle came to a boil, tea tray laid out accordingly, the sleepy reptile made her appearance.

“Jenny, are you happy?” She didn’t want to pry, but she did hate to see the sadness that had shown itself earlier that morning.

“Yes ma’am, ever so.” Jenny replied, seating herself next to Vastra. “If this is about this morning, I’m sorry to make you think otherwise, it’s just that thoughts of my family don’t fill me with happy feelings anymore.” Jenny looked sullen and quite indignant. “I don’t care to think of them, they don’t love who I am, and I do not love who they became.”

Vastra was sure there was more to the story, but she didn’t want to press Jenny too far, it was her right to keep her past as she saw fit. “It’s ok my dear, I don’t have a family either. Although it does seem that my loneliness is due to a vast separation of millions of years, yours seems to be a separation of opinions.” Vastra had a small inkling she knew the cause of her sorrow.

“Yes ma’am, you could say that.” Jenny wasn’t sure how much she should disclose, but she felt the need to talk to someone, and if anyone in this world was going to accept her for who she is, surely it would be a lizard woman from the dawn of time? If not, there would be no hope for her. “I’m not normal,” She looked up at Vastra, a small laugh made its way to Jenny’s throat at the look on Vastra’s face, a raised eyebrow and a glint in her eye, she knew that Vastra was amused at her statement at not being “normal”, as she too was quite different, definitely far from normal.

Vastra didn’t interrupt, she let Jenny take her time, and if she wanted to leave it there she could.

“I don’t like boys,” she looked down to her hands, fiddling with the dishcloth she had come to use as a comforter, “not like I should do.” She carried on. “My ma and pa didn’t take well to that, kicked me out on the street.” Jenny chanced a look to Vastra, scared she would see the same look she had received from her parents. All she saw was a soft smile. She was unsure of whether Vastra understood what she was saying, without actually saying it, “Do you know what I’m trying to say ma’am?” She looked back down to her hands, the cloth now held tighter than a noose around a murderers neck.

“Jenny, you are not normal.” Jenny was about to get up from the table and leave, “Ah ah, I haven’t finished,” Vastra added, touching the girls arm in an attempt to stop her from going, “You are bright, intelligent, your sense of humour is wicked, you have a kind heart, and an adventurous soul. Your courage and determination is enviable, you radiate humanity and compassion. No Jenny, you are not normal, you are quite special.” She put her hand onto Jenny’s, ceasing the incessant worrying of the dishcloth. “Please stop worrying; I do not think any less of you.” Vastra took her hand from Jenny’s, taking the teacup to her mouth, enjoying the warm fluid as it warmed her from the inside. She admired Jenny; she was indeed a brave woman. “Besides, I never liked boys much either.” Vastra finished with a wink.


	8. Chapter 8

“Now, enough about boys, I have something for you Jenny.” Vastra stood from her seat at the table, content that the conversation should stop there for now. She was sure it’d probably taken quite a lot out of Jenny. “Here.”

Seemingly out of nowhere, Vastra set a plate down on the table. Jenny could already smell the spices as they filled the air. Lifting the cloth that was there to keep the surprise hidden, a small “Ta da!” could be herd coming from Vastra’s lips.

Jenny looked down to the most delicious thing she had seen in a while. Six mince pies, still steaming as if they had just come from the oven. Glistening with icing sugar, melting atop the pastry as the heat seeped through.

“Mmmmmm, they smell delicious! Where did you get these!? The bakery seems to always be sold out by the time I get there!” Jenny inhaled the sweet, spicy aroma, the nutmeg and cinnamon hitting her first, followed by a slight whiff of brandy. She looked up to Vastra smiling at the air of victory on her face.

“Mrs Cromwell next door, I could smell them cooking this morning, after you left. I put in a request, and she delivered.” She didn’t want to let Jenny in on the fact that she had to bribe the woman, paying well over the odds for half a dozen mince pies. Mrs Cromwell had never been very neighbourly, but she hoped it would put a smile on Jenny’s face after this morning.

Jenny’s grin seemed unmoving as she stared longingly at the plate in front of her.

“Stop being polite, my dear. Eat.” Vastra smiled as Jenny did just that. Taking a slow and deliberate bite into one of the pies.

Jenny hummed with delight as the warm pastry filled her mouth. The tastes and aromas of Christmas filling her senses. “This has got to be one of the best. Won’t you try one ma’am?” Jenny pushed the plate over to Vastra, motioning her to take one.

“I’m not at all keen on what apes call food these days,” Vastra replied, unconsciously turning her nose up at the thought.

“Have you tried one?” Jenny pushed, “How do you know you don’t like it if you don’t try it?” She eyed Vastra, smiling as if to challenge the woman.

“No, I can’t say that I have.” Vastra took her seat, surrendering to the fact that she would have to try one, even if it was just to make Jenny happy. She picked up one of the pies, eyeing it with suspicion and trepidation. Anyone would think she was being dared to eat a slug from the garden. She probably would have preferred that. She took a bite, not quite as big as Jenny had done, but enough to get at the filling. She took the piece into her mouth, and began chewing. The sweet taste on her tongue was a stark comparison to the food she was used to eating. The look of unease and mild disgust slowly turned into one of curious surprise. It wasn’t entirely unpleasant, she didn’t feel the need to spit it across the room in any case.

“See, good ain’t it? You should try more ‘ape’ food ma’am, you don’t know what you’re missin’!” Jenny gave a soft chuckle as she watched Vastra eyeing the food like she was trying to decide if she should attack it or eat it.

“I wouldn’t go that far my dear…..” Vastra replied as she contemplated on taking another bite.

****

Jenny spent the rest of the afternoon completing her list of chores for the day. She was glad that her and the Madame seemed to be more at ease with each other, Jenny felt as if a half ton brick had been lifted from her shoulders. Vastra’s comment about not liking boys either seemed to keep replaying in Jenny’s mind. Did she mean she was like her? Or did she mean she didn’t like apes? Either way, the attraction Jenny had felt to her mistress should remain unspoken. She was still her maid, and still a different species, and she was happy enough that she wouldn’t be cast out onto the streets once more as a deviant. Jenny still hadn’t worked out if the attraction was merely out of gratitude at her kindness, or something more. Not that it mattered.

As the evening turned to night, Jenny retired to her chamber. She sat at the foot of the bed, and pulled a small box from her pocket. Undoing the clasp, she lifted the lid and checked the contents, as if to ensure it hadn’t somehow managed to escape.

****

As the dawn light seeped through the curtains, Jenny stirred from her slumber. She took note of the time as the clock chimed to mark it’s quarter hour, eight fifteen. She had allowed herself to sleep a little longer this morning, as it was Christmas Day. Stretching her arms above her head in an attempt to rid her body of the nights sleep, she looked around the room, taking in her surroundings. So much had happened since her birthday. Not only did she have a roof over her head, but she had her own room, big enough to accommodate a small family. A queen size bed that she had found herself getting lost in every night, her own breakfast table and chair sat by the window, currently littered with paper, the encyclopaedia Vastra had given her currently open to page 92, she had almost finished the assignment set for her four days ago.

She rose from the bed, making her way to sit at the chair, opening the curtains to let in the morning sunlight. She took the pen to hand, and continued…

_The vast majority of lizards breeding rituals begin as the year turns to spring. Male lizards use colour and movement to attract a mate, the female will sometimes emit a pheromone to attract potential mates. Touch is also often used among some species of reptile, using their tongues to see if the female is sexually receptive. When the male has made his choice, and the receptive female is close enough, he will then take hold of her by biting down on her neck…._

Jenny found herself starting to blush and giggled at her own reaction. She wasn’t a prude, far from it. But she had begun to wonder how much of this information also pertained to a certain other reptile. She had learned quite a lot about lizards, their feeding habits and natural habitats, how they keep warm and now it seems, how they mate. Setting her pen down in it’s box, she decided to get herself dressed, and make her way to the kitchen to fetch breakfast.

As she neared the bottom of the stairwell, the overwhelming smell of bacon penetrated her nostrils. She picked up her pace, now in a hurry to see what was awaiting her in the kitchen. Vastra couldn’t be cooking, surely. She couldn’t recall ever seeing the woman at the stove, unless it was to set the kettle to boil. Jenny was now starting to feel a little nervous at the sight that may greet her as she entered the kitchen…

To her surprise, the vision that welcomed her was nothing short of perfection. Vastra, in a pinafore, spatula in hand, dishing out a mountain of bacon onto a serving dish in the centre of the table.

“Ah Jenny my dear, good morning, and Merry Christmas.” Vastra smiled to Jenny, motioning to the seat usually reserved for herself, “Sit, I made breakfast.” Vastra was feeling quite smug, proud that she had managed not to burn the place down.

As Jenny watched in awe, her eyes flitting from the plate of bacon to the woman stood at the other end of the table, she wasn’t entirely sure which one deserved her attention the most. “Ma’am, that’s very sweet of you, thank you.” Jenny didn’t quite have the heart to tell her mistress that two or three rashers between a couple of slices of bread would have been sufficient, the mountain of bacon would definitely be a challenge. “What’s all this in aide of then?”

“It is your day off, although you must take more time for yourself Jenny, you work too hard.” Vastra made towards the remaining chair and took a seat “And before you ask, no I would not like any bacon, I have already tasted it and no amount of pleading would ever get me to do it again. Far too salty.” Vastra made a look of utter disgust. “I am quite happy with my tea and warm blood.”

Jenny’s eyes bulged at the task before her, she didn’t want to seem ungrateful, but she wasn’t going to be able to eat sixteen rashers of bacon. She tucked in regardless, impressed by the way Vastra had managed to give the bacon a light crisp without burning it. “Do you ever cook ma’am? Apart from just now I mean.”

“I have no need of it. I like my food raw, cooking it seems to render it quite inedible. I have read enough books to be competent that I will not poison anyone.” Vastra smiled, her eyes looking to Jenny in a teasing manner.

Suddenly remembering the small box in her pocket, Jenny put down what would have been the sixth rasher of bacon, wiping her hands on the napkin that Vastra had kindly set out for her. “I have something for you ma’am, a Christmas gift if you like.” Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the small box, and handed it to Vastra nervously. She carried on eating her bacon, glad of something to keep her occupied. She hoped Vastra liked it.

“For me? You shouldn’t have Jenny.” Vastra felt a warm tug at her heart, she was sure she would love it, it was from Jenny after all.

“You can open it, the gift is inside,” Jenny repeated the words that Vastra had said to her the day she had bought her the pen. She was sure it wasn’t as opulent or expensive as the pen, but she hoped Vastra liked it none the less.

“Oh my dear Jenny, it’s beautiful,” As Vastra opened the lid of the box, the small broach came into view. A silver lizard, twisted in she shape of a S, gleaming in the morning sunlight.

“I saw it and it reminded me of you ma’am, I thought it would look nice on your coat.” Jenny said, starting to feel a little embarrassed, and unsure if the image would offend Vastra.

Vastra smiled back to Jenny, she took the maid’s hand in her own, placing her lips across the knuckles in a gentle kiss. “It’s perfect, and I will wear it always.” The sincere words being reinforced by the gleam in Vastra’s blue eyes.

Jenny felt her cheeks redden at the gesture, noting how soft Vastra’s lips felt on her skin. She had to confess to herself that she had thought about her lips, on more than one occasion. She did not expect them to feel so soft, like silk. They had such a shocking coolness to them that was enticing, leaving her wanting for more.

“Are you ok my dear, too much bacon? I’m not surprised, it can’t be good for your health.” Vastra was a little worried about the little ape, she seemed to be somewhere else altogether.

“Yes ma’am, I’m quite fine. I’m glad you like it!” Jenny replied suddenly, the words jilting her back to reality. She used her thumb to brush the knuckles of her other hand, retracing the path of Vastra’s lips.

Vastra noticed the gesture, realising possibly a little too late what she had actually done. She didn’t like to make Jenny feel uncomfortable. Vastra rose from her seat, “It is Christmas my dear, the day is yours. What is it you are planning to do?”

“Absolutely nothing ma’am, that is my intention!” Jenny smiled, looking forward to a well needed rest.

“That sounds like a wonderful plan Jenny, nothing it is then!”

****

New years eve seemed to appear out of nowhere. The days over Christmas were pleasant and Jenny liked to think she and Vastra were beginning to form a close friendship. Evenings were spent next to the fire in the drawing room, each taking their place on one of the setees, book in hand soaking up the words on the pages. Occasionally commenting to the other about an amusing fact or quote they had just read. Days filled with chores, washing the linen and sweeping the floors. Vastra would occasionally chastise Jenny for working so much, she didn’t like to think of the poor girl working herself to the bone for 10 hours a day.

“It is already clean, why are you cleaning it again?!” Vastra looked at the mirror, noting how it gleamed under the candlelight.

“Because ma’am, it is my job.” Jenny replied, shooing the older woman out of the way so that she could reach the higher spots.

“Here, let me.” Vastra went to take the cloth from Jenny’s hand to help the girl, but just as she did so the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it my dear, you need not run around after me!”

As she made her way to the door, picking up her veil and gloves as she did so, she couldn’t help but wish for a case. She realised that this did in fact mean that she was inadvertently wishing someone harm, but she did rather hate to be bored, and Jenny was starting to get a little agitated with her being under her feet all day.

“Ah, inspector. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Thank god for that!” Jenny muttered out of earshot, still polishing the mirror.


	9. Chapter 9

Vastra’s case load had now returned to its usual flow of three or four a week. Most of which barely took anything more than an hour or two of reading through the case notes to determine where the inspector should be focussing his time, seeming to be able to pick out the culprit with the smallest of details. Some, however, seemed to puzzle Vastra. She would work the case back in her mind, visiting the crime scene and persons of note. This one case in particular, seemed to have too many missing pieces. The scene of the murder, the possible weapon used, and probable suspects did not seem to fit. This case was the first one she had picked up this week, and remains the last one to be solved.

She would think on it over the weekend, determined not to let it take up too much more of her time. She had scheduled another writing lesson with Jenny, today at five o’clock. This would be their sixth in the same number of weeks. She had come to look forward to their weekly meeting, it now being one of the rare moments she got to see the young maid.

“The butler did it.” Jenny poked her head through the door, her knocks going unheard. “Everything ok ma’am, would you like me to come back later?”

“No my dear, please come in. I apologise, I have to say this one has me rather flummoxed.” Vastra pushed the file to the side of the desk, taking a glance at the clock. One minute past five. She did like the fact that Jenny was always punctual. “The butler has an alibi.” She added.

Jenny walked into the room, bringing the spare chair over to sit next to Vastra. She placed down her pen, and the sheets of neatly printed script.

“I dare say you are now the envy of every calligrapher,” Vastra stated as she took Jenny’s papers in hand. “such beautiful detail, I don’t think you require any further input from me my dear,” Vastra declared, feeling rather despondent that she had no reason to carry on their lessons, Jenny’s handwriting now even better than her own. “Be sure to keep practicing though Jenny….”

“Yes ma’am, practice makes perfect.” Jenny could feel herself feeling rather glum at the prospect of no further lessons.

“As you are already here, and sat quite comfortably I hope, take a look at this and tell me what you think.” She took the case file that was previously pushed to one side and placed it in front of Jenny. Maybe someone else’s input was required.

“You sure ma’am, I don’t want to get in your way,” Jenny looked to Vastra to ensure she wasn’t taking up too much of her time, “Not sure how much help I’ll be but I’ll have a go!”

Jenny examined the pictures, taking in all the small details. She read through the notes and the suspects interviews. “The butler did it,” she stated, a smile on her face as she did so, “No racing on at Kempton that day, closed it down cos of suspected horse flu.”

Vastra looked at Jenny, and back down at the notes. The butler had said that he was at the new Kempton Race track at the time of the murder, his alibi checked by one of the officers that had confirmed with one of the bookmakers.

“But his alibi was confirmed.” Vastra muttered to herself more than anything. “How can you know that Kempton wasn’t open on that day?”

“Bit of luck actually ma’am, Jim, that is Mr Colias, said he was due a day off, was goin’ to take to the race track to have a little ‘flutter on the ponies’ as he put it. The same day this murder took place, three weeks ago Wednesday. Only I know it was closed, cos when I went to pick up our usual order on the Thursday, he couldn’t stop telling me about how disappointed he had been that is only day off in 6 months ‘ad been spoiled by horse ‘avin a sneezin’ fit.”

Vastra laughed, a proper open mouthed belly laugh, tears streamed at her eyes as she bent over the desk in an attempt to quell the fit of giggles.

Jenny looked on, sure as she ever was, that she was looking at the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She couldn’t help but join it, laughing along with Vastra.

“My dear,” Vastra gasped, finally able to compose herself, small giggles still emanating from her throat as she turned to speak to Jenny, “Your mind is a wonderful thing, you paint an image so clearly, I can’t say that I have ever seen a horse have a sneezing fit, yet there it is!” She laughed again, unable to control herself. “Not only have you made me laugh harder than I have done in a long while, you seem to have solved this case my dear, quite easily in fact.”

“Have I?” Jenny was surprised, it was only an idea. Using the theory in most murder mysteries, the butler always did it, initially as a joke, but it seems there was something amiss and she had been the one to spot it.

“You see, every one of these suspects has an alibi, a verified alibi. The wife, the son, the maids and gardeners. Even the butler, up until now. It seems that the butler must have slipped the bookmaker a little something to buy his silence, possibly not even knowing himself of the situation at Kempton.” Vastra pointed to the list of suspects, drawing a circle around the name ‘Mr George Sandalwood’.

Jenny felt quite proud of herself, both for helping Vastra with the case, and also for being able to make Vastra laugh the way she did, she hoped it wouldn’t be the last time she would witness it.

“I’m glad I could be of service ma’am.”

****

The days were getting longer, the air starting to warm as spring took its turn. February had come and gone, March now well into its second week.

Vastra sat on her haunches, high above the streets. A crane on the docks seemed a good a place as any to keep out of view from the individual that currently held her focus. The sun had set a good few hours ago, it must be nearing on ten o’clock now. As if to confirm her thoughts, the church bells chimed in the distance, to the count of ten. Just as she had done for the few nights previous, she had been surveying a certain building, taking note of the comings and goings of several men, all seeming to disappear into the property, only to emerge moments later, grasping at their chest, struggling to breathe. There was only one that was yet to reappear, the one that had arrived first, as he had done every other night. She was about to alter her position, in an attempt to get closer to one of the open windows, when she felt movement beneath her. The crane was moving, she glanced behind her to see if she could make out who was at the controls, but there was nothing, no one. The crane kept moving, she was now high over the cold flowing river. Just as she was about to make her escape, the crane stopped suddenly, jolting her off balance, before she knew it she was deep below the surface, grabbing at the water, willing the surface to come closer. At the corner of her eye, Vastra spotted a rope, she pulled at it, trying to get a grip before her body succumbed to the shock of the cold water. She hauled herself up, managing to break the surface, the icy river threatening to pull her back down. With all that she could, she hauled herself up to the bank, and made for home. Not daring to stop to rest, a mistake that could cost her dearly. Traipsing through the streets, her soaking wet clothes clung to her like a second unwanted skin, the cold seeping through her scales, settling around her organs. She needed to get warm, and quickly.

Jenny sat by the fire, book in hand. Another page and she will retire for the night. Vastra was out on reconnaissance for the last three nights, and each night Jenny had sat at her bedroom window until she saw the figure return home. If the previous nights were anything to go by, she wouldn’t be expected for another hour or so yet. She decided she would take the time to run herself a bath, hoping a soak in the warm water would ease her mind for a while.

She watched the water as it filled the bath, steam billowing out taking root on the windows and mirror. She undressed, ready to get into the warm inviting liquid, only to be interrupted by a clawing noise, scratching at the front door. She ran her hand over the glass window pane, clearing the mist that had settled. She looked down to the stairs that led up to the house from the street, she could make out a black shape, laid across the steps, as if unable to make it to the top.

“Vastra!” Jenny gasped, she threw on her robe and made for the front door, the scratching continuing to grate at the wood. She took no time in descending the stairs, reaching the door and almost pulling it off its hinges as she hauled it open. “Ma’am, what happened?!” The woman looked pale, almost white, the green hue seemed to be fading as she spoke.

“Jenny….” Vastra croaked, barely able to speak. “Fire” she managed to get out.

Jenny wasted no time in getting her mistress to her feet, feeling her full weight rest on her shoulders as she wrapped an arm around her waist. “You’re soaking. What in the hells bells have you been up to.” She said to herself, not expecting an answer. She walked Vastra to the drawing room, as she got to the doorway she noticed that the fire was almost out. She hadn’t bothered to stoke it, thinking that Vastra would retreat to her bedroom as soon as she returned. Suddenly remembering the bath that she had already run for herself, she motioned to the stairs “Sorry ma’am, I don’t think the fire is going to help at the moment. Can you make it up the stairs?”

Vastra struggled to put together a coherent sentence, but understanding Jenny’s words, she put all her effort into getting up the stairs, one step at a time. Pain shooting through her legs with every step, her body aching to collapse to the floor. She wanted to sleep, to sleep and never wake up.

Finally coming to the last two steps, Jenny led her to the bathroom. She took Vastra’s coat, now heavy with river water, and tossed it to the corner of the room. Unsure as to how to proceed, she decided there may not be time to undress Vastra completely, the corset alone would take a good ten minutes to unlace, she pushed Vastra back towards the bath, motioning for her to get in as she was.

“You have to get in ma’am; we have to warm you up.” Jenny said to Vastra, her eyes filled with worry and trepidation, she hoped this worked.

Vastra used every last ounce of energy she had left to lift herself into the bath, lowering herself until she was close enough to the tub to let herself fall. The splash that followed covered the floor, and Jenny, with water. Jenny knelt at the side of the tub, turning on the taps to let the hot water fill the bath once more. She used her hands to cup the water, pouring over Vastra’s shoulders and neck, the water not quite deep enough yet to submerge her completely.

Vastra felt the warm water seep through her clothes, hitting her skin and warming her blood, her heart had slowed to barely more than a few beats a minute, the warm blood slowly doing its work in picking up the tempo of her pulse.

“Thank you Jenny,” Vastra’s words were barely more than a whisper, as she started to get some strength back into her limbs, she lifted her hand to place it on top of the hand that Jenny was using to steady herself on the tub, “My guardian angel.”

Jenny smiled at the words, concern still laced her features. She hoped this worked. Grateful that she had a new found knowledge for reptilian care, but still unsure what would be relevant to Silurians.

“Ma’am, I think there is enough water for you to get your head under if you need to.” Jenny urged Vastra to slide herself further down the tub, holding her hand to the older woman’s back as if to ease her down slowly.

Vastra did as she was told, completely submerging her shoulders, head and crests, her eyes still open, peering through the water. Never letting her eyes drift from the face that showed such concern for her. Jenny was beautiful, she noticed how her hair was no longer in its usual bun, the soft curls falling at her shoulders, framing her features, flowing past her neck to her chest. Jenny was dressed in nothing but a loose gown, the image seeming to warm Vastra further, although biologically impossible. Feeling her strength returning, she pulled herself up from the water, shaking of the excess water as she did so.

“Better?” Jenny asked as she wiped the water droplets from her face, looking to Vastra for confirmation.

“Much,” Vastra replied, “I do, however, need to get out of these clothes.” She checked Jenny’s reaction, noting the moment of realisation on Jenny’s face at her statement, her eyes grew a little wider.

“Of course ma’am, I will leave you to it, I’ll be right outside the door if you need me.” Jenny made her way to the door, taking one more look back to make sure she was able. Vastra had already started untying the lace at the back of her dress, her hands seeming to struggle with the thin strips of material. Jenny turned back, and knelt behind Vastra, “Let me.”

Vastra let her hands fall back into the water, grateful for the help. As Jenny untied the last knot, she stood, allowing Vastra to continue. “There you go ma’am, as I said, I’ll be just outside the door if you need me.”

Jenny closed the door behind her, giving her mistress some privacy. She quickly checked Vastra’s room to make sure the fire was still burning, throwing on a few more logs for a little extra heat. She rushed back to the bathroom door, listening with her ear to the wood; she could hear movement, content that Vastra was ok. She leant her back against the door, slumping down to the floor. She needed to calm her racing heart. With her elbows resting on her knees, her head in her hands, she closed her eyes and took three long deep breaths, settling her nerves once more. Never had she been more worried than she was in that moment. She could feel the tears pooling in her eyes, threatening to spill over. She felt the door give way behind her, finding herself flat on her back, staring up at a vision in green, Vastra in a towel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates seem to be coming thick and fast at the moment, can't promise it will continue at this immense speed though!!


	10. Chapter 10

Jenny jumped up from her position on the floor, fumbling slightly as she did so, trying not to look at the considerable amount of scales now on view. She wanted to look, she longed to look, but she stood stoic, making a concerted effort to look at Vastra’s eyes and only her eyes.

“Ma’am, feeling better I hope?” Jenny asked, the bright red hue of her cheeks not going unnoticed by the Silurian.

“Much, thank you Jenny.” Vastra replied, a knowing smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, enjoying the way Jenny flustered.

“In that case, I’ll let you retire to your bedroom, no doubt you are tired after all that excitement.” With that, Jenny turned and made her way to her own room, turning back just for a moment, “Night ma’am.” Shutting her bedroom door with a soft click.

“Good night Jenny,” Vastra muttered to the empty hallway. She retreated to her bedroom, she brought her blankets from the bed and placed them on the floor in front of the roaring fire. The bath had certainly helped, she just needed to rid her body of the remaining chill, settling herself atop the blankets, where she stayed for the rest of the night, a smile playing at her lips as she thought of the young maid, and her rosy red cheeks.

Jenny woke the next morning, having not slept much at all. Any sleep she did get seemed to be filled with images that she should certainly not be thinking about. She was concerned for Vastra, she had never seen her look so weak. Jenny knew that if she had remained in close proximity to the woman in her state of undress, she may not have been able to keep herself in check.

As the clock chimed it’s sixth and final note, Jenny put the finishing touches to her hair, and made her way to check on her mistress. It was not a usual thing, for Jenny to enter her bedroom when it was occupied, but she had been worrying about Vastra’s wellbeing all night. Turning the doorknob as softly and slowly as she could, in an effort to keep her intrusion unnoticed, she peered through the small gap in the door, noting that the four poster bed was without its usual occupant. She pushed the door open a little more, a slight panic growing inside her, and noticed a bundle of blankets on the floor by the fire. She strained her eyes in the darkness, trying to make out if Vastra was under there somewhere. She could see a subtle rise and fall, is if the heap was itself taking a breath, thankful that Vastra was indeed buried beneath. The fire was no more than glowing embers, she crept into the room, taking care to avoid the floorboards that creaked under her weight, and gently placed a few more logs onto the fire.

“Thank you Jenny.”

The voice gave Jenny a fright, the last log coming down a little heavier than intended. She looked to the pile of blankets, trying to find the source of the voice. She came across a small opening in the folds of material, tired blue eyes staring back at her.

“You’re welcome ma’am,” Jenny whispered, sidling up to the little heap. “You go back to sleep, I’ll return in a couple of hours to stoke the fire again.” She took one last look at the blue orbs flickering in the firelight, and moved the blanket so Vastra was cocooned once more.

****

Vastra held her breath, the moment almost upon her. Darkness surrounded her, the footsteps growing closer, her prey unaware of her presence. Her senses were honed, she took up her position, a predator readying itself to pounce. A few more seconds, she waited, silently willing the footsteps to come closer, closer…..Now!

“Jesus, Mary and friggin’ Joseph!” Jenny screamed at the figure pouncing out at her as she walked into the drawing room, eerie black eyes glared at her, the face of iron looked like something out of a Penny Dreadful. She could hear the faint laughter from behind the mask. “I swear to god, you’re gonna be cleaning up this mess.” Jenny looked down at her front, the pail of soapy water she was carrying now half empty, the rest of the contents soaking through her dress and dripping from her hair, her feet now stood in a puddle.

Vastra removed the mask, her dastardly smile unmoving “I told you I would get you back.” She snickered again, admiring her handy work.

“Ma’am, I’m not sure you have quite got the hang of this April Fool’s lark, it’s supposed to be a joke, or a lark, you’re not supposed to give someone a bleedin’ heart attack!” Jenny was trying her best to keep her glare steady, every ounce of her body was willing her to laugh, but she was determined not to let on. She did enjoy seeing the typically prim and proper lady turn into somewhat of an adolescent.

“It was short notice,” Vastra shrugged casually , “I couldn’t let you get away with replacing my blood with that grotesque abomination,” Vastra visibly gagged “Beetroot juice”. She shivered at the memory.

Jenny couldn’t help but laugh. She had the idea a few days ago, knowing that April Fool’s day was coming up. What she hadn’t thought through was the reaction that Vastra was going to have. A projectile spray of red liquid hitting the walls and floor like someone’s throat had been sliced. Luckily, the tiles didn’t hold the stain as much as she feared. She was sure it would fade after a few days.

“It wasn’t going to kill you ma’am, just a bit of vegetable juice,” Jenny’s glare now replaced with a sly grin of her own. “Now, shall we settle this one as a draw? I’ll go and get you the mop.” Jenny was deadly serious about Vastra having to clean up the mess.

“For now, little ape, for now!” Vastra’s words sounding just as menacing as they were intended.

****

April brought with it the warmth of spring, the sun shone through the clouds as they moved through the sky, daisies and daffodils sprung up through the green blades of grass.

“Jenny, would you like to take a walk with me? It seems such a shame to waste the day shut inside.” Vastra walked up to Jenny’s side, basking in the warmth of the sunlight as it shone through the kitchen window.

Jenny looked up from the dishes she was currently scrubbing, eyeing Vastra suspiciously. It had been a week since April fools day, and every day since Vastra had managed to fool Jenny with prank after prank. A mouse in the kitchen, the salt in the sugar pot. This one should have been easy to spot, Vastra never refused a cup of tea. The last straw for Jenny was the liver in her slippers. She could still feel the cold, wet slithers of meat squelching between her toes. That was yesterday, today seemed all too normal, she wondered what Vastra was up to now.

“I mean you no harm, I promise.” Vastra made a cross motion over her chest by way of reiterating her statement, taking note of the raised eyebrow that countered her offer. “I fear I have run out of ideas. Even I was a little embarrassed by my last attempt, what a dreadful waste of good liver.” Vastra shook her head, as if mourning a dear friend.

“Well, seeing as you promise, then yes, a walk would be lovely ma’am.” Jenny smiled up at Vastra, already looking forward to her company, although her suspicions had not entirely dissipated.

They walked through the streets, passing St Paul’s Churchyard and admiring the beautiful, albeit slightly morbid, landscape of the cemetery. The contrast of the grey headstones against the fresh green foliage that had awoken with spring seemed to make them forget that it was home to the deceased and their rotting corpses.

Vastra took Jenny’s arm, wrapping it around her own. To passers-by the gesture seemed to be that of a recently widowed mistress out for a stroll and in need of support. To Vastra, it was something else entirely. It was a way to have Jenny as close to her as she was able.

Jenny found comfort in the arm wrapped around her own, feeling a warmth spread through her at the thought of Vastra wanting to be closer to her. She smiled up at Vastra, the veil bringing back memories of the day they first met.

“Who was that man, the one that was there when you took me home?” Jenny questioned, intrigued as to why he had never been seen again, the way he had spoken to her made them seem like old friends.

“He is my friend, the Doctor.” Vastra smiled at the memory of him, it wasn’t unusual for her to go months without seeing him, sometimes even almost a year.

“So he’s a doctor then, a doctor of what?” Jenny asked.

“He is not _a_ doctor, he is _the_ Doctor. The Doctor is a Time Lord.” Vastra replied, knowing that she would have to explain further. “He is not of this world Jenny, as I am not of this time. He is the one who saved me, from myself if anything, when I was awoken in the tunnel.” The Silurian, looked to Jenny, to gage her reaction to her statement. If anything, she looked like she had heard it all before. “He travels through time and space, seeking out those in need, a hero of the stars.”

“So another planet then, is that where he’s from?” Jenny was not as ignorant as most to think they were the only beings in this universe. “Which one?”

“Gallifrey,”

“I’ve not heard of that one. I’ll have to look it up.” Jenny made a mental note to do so once she returned home. Vastra’s vast library was bound to have something on planets.

“I’m not sure you will find anything my dear. It is not in our solar system, and remains as yet undiscovered by apes. 250 million lightyears separate Earth from Gallifrey!” Vastra stated whimsically.

“Quite a way then. Not sure the Clapham Omnibus goes that far.” Jenny said, feigning a serious tone.

“I like you Jenny Flint,” Vastra laughed, “You do surprise me so. I tell you of a time travelling space man from a planet no one has heard of, and you take it all in like I’ve just told you about having a slice of toast for breakfast!”

“To be fair ma’am, you eating a slice of toast would surprise me more than anything else.” Jenny smiled as she looked ahead. “And just so’s you know,” Jenny looked to her feet and back up to look into Vastra’s eyes, “I like you too.” Jenny gave her a wink in an attempt to make the scaled cheeks flush even more.

The rest of the walk was mostly in silence, a peaceful and calm silence. Each taking in the fresh spring air, enjoying the company of one another.

As they neared Paternoster Row, Vastra slowed her pace, the scene in front of her putting her slightly on edge. Cases usually came to her in the form of courier service, or on the rare occasion delivered by Inspector Abberline himself. The sight of four uniformed officers, along with Inspector Abberline on the doorstep of their home was somewhat alarming.

“Jenny, it seems I am required at Scotland Yard.” Vastra sighed inwardly, not looking forward to the news that awaited her. “I do wish they wouldn’t cause such panic, what will the neighbours think.”

“I don’t think it matters what they think ma’am, they all make up their own conclusions anyway.” Jenny replied, taking note of the various sets of eyes peeping through drawn curtains, “They all like a bit of drama don’t they. Summat to gossip about down at the tea house.”

“You are quite right my dear.”

As they neared their home, Inspector Abberline caught sight of the pair, taking his hat off as if to greet them, the way he worried at the rim with his hands came across as quite disconcerting. For something to worry the inspector enough for him to pick at his favourite hat was undeniably in need of investigation.

“Madame Vastra,” he nodded his head in greeting, “Miss.”

“Inspector, this is Jenny Flint.” She did not expand on the introduction. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

“We have a slight issue ma’am. Is there somewhere we can go that’s a little bit more private?” The Inspector motioned to the prying eyes in the widow across the street.

“Come. Let’s have some tea.”

****

As Jenny pored the last of the tea into her mistresses cup, she attempted to avoid listening to the details of the matter, her inquisitive mind defying her.

“….escaped the noose, the mortician and the prison doctor said he was dead. He was hanging their for a good ten minutes….”

The image made Jenny squirm a little; twitching legs searching for the ground in desperation, bulging eyes threatening to burst at the pressure behind them. She drew herself back to the conversation in morbid fascination.

“…then he was gone. Like bloody Houdini himself.” The inspector took a sip of tea. “But, that’s not the end of it,” he continued. “We’ve ‘ad three prisoners disappear. No known connection to Mr Sandalwood, but seems like too much of a coincidence to me. A dead body disappears, and then on the same day, three prisoners vanish without a trace.”

Vastra listened on with interest. Her face still hidden from view by the veil, her eyes seeming to disobey the intended role of the fabric, as azure eyes pierced through the dark material.

“You say they disappeared without a trace. Were the cells still locked?” Vastra inquired, trying to piece together the information into a plausible interpretation.

“Yes ma’am, locked.” The inspector replied. “One minute they were there, the guards did the rounds at seven am, and by breakfast time thirty minutes later, they were nowhere to be seen. Cells still locked, nothing out of place.”

Vastra stood, a smile playing at the corner of her lips, “Jenny, please fetch my coat, it seems the game is afoot.”


	11. Chapter 11

Vastra had surveyed the cells, each one contained nothing sinister or out of place. Leaning over to take a closer look at the heavy doors, paying close attention to the lock, she called out to the inspector. “Please have one of your officers fetch my assistant, I require a more professional opinion.”

“Of course ma’am, and where would we find this assistant of yours?” Abberline questioned, not having heard of said associate before now.

“At home of course, where we left her.” Vastra replied, a curt tone to her words as if to imply his question was insolent.

“Miss Flint? I thought she was just your maid ma’am.” He questioned further.

“Miss Flint is not _just_ anything.” She now stood, glaring at the man, her height difference seeming to increase as she stared down at him, “If you require this matter resolved, I suggest you refrain from asking unimportant questions and assist me with my requests.”

“Yes ma’am, I’ll send someone to fetch her now ma’am.” The inspector took a step back to distance himself from the unnerving presence before him. He was an officer of the law, little phased him. He had seen things on the streets of London that no other could imagine, sights akin to horror stories. The woman in front of him, however, had a way of making him feel like a small child under the gaze of his domineering school matron.

“Please ask the officer to let Miss Flint know that I require her ‘specific’ set of skills” Vastra added, hoping that Jenny would cotton on to the fact that she would require her lock picks.

****

The knock at the door startled Jenny. The intense concentration of the task at hand, dusting the many marble busts that adorned the solarium with mild fear of a breakage, rendered her almost oblivious to the sounds around her. The incessant knocking continued, she began to wonder how long the raps had gone unheard, the urgency of the sound growing with every second.

“Alright alright, I’m coming!” she hoped it wasn’t one of the youngsters playing Knock Down Ginger again, they almost caught the wrath of a Silurian last time, the Madame does not like to be disturbed when she had her head in a case. “Was got you all riled up then?” Jenny said as she opened the door. “The Madame is out I’m afraid officer, down at the prison on a case. Thought you would have known that.” Jenny noted that it was one of the officers that had been at the house earlier that day.

“Sorry Miss, it’s you I’m after, you’re wanted down at the prison.” The officer was polite enough, offering Jenny his hand to lead her to the waiting carriage.

“Me? What do you want me for?” Jenny was a little puzzled by the request.

“I am told to let you know that Madame Vastra requires your ‘specific set of skills’” The officer winked, unsure as to why he did it but felt that the mystification of the statement required further embellishment.

“Ah I see, only wants me for one thing, typical.” Jenny joked. “Gimme a couple a minutes and let me grab me coat.” She didn’t mention the lockpicks she would also be bringing along for the ride. She didn’t fancy being questioned as to why she was in possession of such items.

“Thank you miss,” He replied, “The boss doesn’t like to keep her waiting too long.”.

“She’ll wait until I’m good and ready!” Jenny scolded him as she pulled the door closed behind her. “Summoning me like I got nothin’ better to do.” In truth, Jenny was buzzing with intrigue and excitement at the notion of getting to see Vastra at work, and with the prospect of getting to assist in the matter, she was almost fit to burst.

The three mile journey took just over forty minutes, the busy London roads filled with the typical chaos attributed to a normal working day. Markets lined the streets, the omnibuses with their fill of passengers clattered along the road, weaving in and out of the delivery carriages stopping to replenish the many shops of their wares. Jenny looked out of the carriage window as they approached Pentonville Prison, its foreboding walls filling her with a slight chill at the thought of so many unpleasant people housed within.

The carriage entered through the archway at the front of the building, coming to a stop at the bottom of a steep set of stone steps. Jenny was led from the carriage into the main building, in awe at the vastness of the place.

“If you’d like to follow me Miss, the detective is this way.” The officer led her through the corridors, stopping at every turn to request entry from a guard that stood at each entrance, cast iron gates requiring two keys to unlock each section. “Not too far now Miss, she’s in this block, last cell on the left.”

Jenny took note of the amount of security necessary to keep the prisoners contained, taking a moment to ponder the likelihood of anyone being able to escape undetected. Two keys for each gate, and she had counted six gates so far. That’s twelve locks to pick, as well as the one for the cell. That was for just one of the escapees, if the other two had come from different parts of the prison, that would be even more locks. She had deduced that it wouldn’t be one person doing the work for all three, they would have had to pick their own locks, or they had somehow acquired a key.

“Ah, Miss Flint. The detective is waiting for you. Thank you officer Crabbit, you are dismissed.” With that, inspector Abberline waved off the officer, and ushered Jenny through to the cell. “Madame Vastra, your assistant has arrived.”

“Jenny, my dear. I apologise for the upheaval of your afternoon, but it seems I require some of your insight.” Vastra motioned for Jenny to join her in the cell, shutting the door behind her. “Inspector, I would be grateful if you could please lock the door, and do not unlock it under any circumstances.” As the clunk of the lock sounded, Vastra removed her veil, placing it over the service hatch in the door, to obstruct any prying eyes.

“I assume it’s me picks your after ma’am,” Jenny smiled at Vastra, eager to set to work. She had always treated locks as if they were a puzzle to pass the time, much like a jigsaw.

“I am after your insight, yes, and skill of course.” Vastra turned to look about the cell, “Before you begin, I would like you to tell me how they did it.” Vastra questioned, intrigued to see if Jenny could spot anything she did not.

“You want me to tell you?” Jenny asked, “I thought you were the detective around here?” Jenny quipped.

“Humour me, my dear.” Vastra took a seat on the cot, placing her hands in her lap, ready to absorb Jenny’s theory.

Jenny moved about the room, trying to take in each detail as she saw it, “hair in the sink……..” She brushed past Vastra to the other side of the room, “white cotton…..” She placed a finger to her mouth, chewing on a nail in thought. “He couldn’t have done it alone. I counted enough locks to keep even a professional pick at work for at least two hours. As far as I understand, they were out of here within half hour.” Thinking out loud, she continued. “He had a shave, the hair in the sink tells me that. A long time since the last one too looking at the length of it. And this bit of rag here isn’t from his prison clothes, it’s too clean, too white. I passed a few on me way up here, grubby buggers the lot of ‘em.”

“I see,” Vastra nodded. She had figured out as much herself, but she was pleased the Jenny had picked up on it, “Anything else to add?”

“Just that,” she said, pointing to the letter on the wall, “there’s big letters in there that shouldn’t be there.”

Vastra turned to where Jenny was pointing, she had not paid too much close attention, it seemingly an innocent note from a loved one. She read the contents, understanding what Jenny had noticed. Capital letters where there shouldn’t be capital letters, and vice versa. She took the letter from the wall, her tongue flitting out to take in the scent, noting how it was still fresh. The letter would have only been received a few days ago.

Jenny stood stock still at the sight in front of her, captivated by the sleek, pink flesh that had emerged from Vastra's mouth.

Noticing the stillness in the corner of her eye, Vastra looked up to see Jenny, mouth slightly agape, eyes threatening to bulge from their sockets. “Are you ok my dear?” Vastra’s words were laced with concern.

“Um, no ma’am, I mean, yes ma’am, quite well.” Jenny flustered, a not entirely unwelcome feeling settling between her legs.

Vastra, being the Great Detective that she is, deduced that the sight of her tongue may be a little odd for her human friend. “It is my tongue. It is nothing to be scared of.” Vastra stated, a little put out. She didn’t want Jenny to be fearful of her, after all this time.

“Oh, I’m not scared ma’am, far from it,” Jenny countered. “Just took me by surprise is all.” She tried to compose herself, but couldn’t take her eyes away from the Silurian’s mouth. The tongue nowhere to be seen but the image still lingered.

“It is how I sense someone’s presence. I can smell them.” As if to confirm the fact, she let it escape her mouth once more, flitting out and then back again. “The scent particles attach themselves to my tongue, I can taste it.” Vastra added, taking note of the fascination emitting from Jenny’s eyes.

“That makes sense ma’am.” She said in an attempt to steer the conversation away from anything to do with tongues. “So, the letter, what do you think that’s about then?”

“The letter has another scent on it, which means it has only been recently received. Smells seem to fade over time, not entirely, but I can tell that this is still rather fresh.” Vastra surmised. “That in itself is nothing to note, but as you quite cleverly pointed out, there are intentional errors. The hand in which it is written is that of a learned person, the literacy is entirely accurate, as is the punctuation. So….” Vastra stopped and looked to Jenny, encouraging her to finish.

“So…… it was done on purpose?” Jenny was eager to find out if she was correct.

“It would seem so.” Vastra agreed. “It is some sort of code, it may take a little while to decipher, we’ll take it back to the house to do a more thorough investigation.” Vastra secreted the paper away into her pocket, knowing that the inspector would request she hand it in for it to be logged in to the evidence file before she was able to get a look at it, it would be another day or two before she would be able to get her hands on it again, and she did not like to wait.

“Now my dear, please continue.” Vastra retook her position, poised and ready to listen.

“Right, um, I think it was an inside job. They needed keys, and a blind eye. They wouldn’t have been able to do it without. Impossible I would say.” Jenny carried on thinking aloud, “I think it was a rush job, seeing as you say the letter is recent. The fact that he had a fresh shave makes me think it was used to disguise himself, might be worth askin’ round to see if he’s always had a beard, it can be quite suprisin’ how much someone changes without one. My dad ‘ad one up until I was about four, shaved it off and I wouldn’t go near him for weeks! He was a stranger as far as four year old me was concerned.” More so now than he ever was, Jenny thought to herself.

“Intriguing. The strands of cotton?” Vastra prompted Jenny to continue.

“Could be from a disguise, or could be from an accomplice. No one round here wears anythin’ that white.” Jenny concluded.

“Very astute my dear. Now, open this door.” Vastra moved from her position and stood with her back to the wall, beside the door.

“Why ma’am, I think we’ve already figured out that they didn’t pick the locks?” Jenny was slightly confused, but moved to the settle herself on her knees, lock in view and picks in hand. A slightly nervous churning settled in her stomach, feeling Vastra’s eyes on her as she got to work. She was confident in her abilities, but still the thought of failure didn’t sit well with her.

“I told them not to unlock the door, under any circumstances. Besides, we do have to make certain, rule out every possibility.” Vastra looked on intently as Jenny’s fingers seemed to work with the picks as if they were an extension of her own hand. She knelt down beside Jenny to get a better view, listening intently at the clicks and clunks of the mechanism within.

Jenny calmed herself, the close proximity of her mistress creating a slight sweat on her palms. She could feel her breath caressing her neck. She moved closer to the lock, trying to gain back a little composure.

Vastra watched closely at the nimble fingers at work, how they twisted and contorted, each move deliberate. Her eyes drifted to the young maid’s face, the concentration was apparent, a slight frown had settled on her brow, her eyes not moving from their intended focus. Teeth biting her lips unconsciously, her breath slow and steady. Vastra could not take her eyes from this human. She was captivated.

“Might want to put your veil back on ma’am,” Jenny looked to Vastra, and winked, a final click could be heard from within the heavy door. “Ta da!”

Vastra could not stop the smile that formed on her lips at the look of pure assuredness that emanated from Jenny’s face. “My dear, you are quite the skilled fingersmith.”

“Ah but I haven’t stolen a thing ma’am, not for a little while anyway.” Jenny countered in jest.

“Oh, I don’t doubt that my dear, but you most certainly could steal anything that your heart desires with the skill you possess." 

"I don't think anything I desire can be found behind a lock ma'am," Jenny said wistfully, “Not one I can get at with these anyway.” Jenny motioned to her picks as she stored them safely back inside their pouch. “Ready to go then?”


	12. Chapter 12

“Inspector, assuming that the long drop method had been used for Mr Sandalwood’s hanging, the method of escape is slightly more obvious than that which was used by the prisoner escapees. As you know, the long drop method relies on a person’s weight and height to determine drop height and rope length. The measurements of each are taken on imprisonment. A loss in weight sufficient to render the noose a little less effective would have been the first task implemented.” Vastra took a moment, allowing the man to catch up with his notes.

“That wouldn’t have been enough to render it completely ineffective thought ma’am, and as we said, he was dead.” Abberline lifted his head from his notepad, as if to reiterate his most obvious point.

“I hadn’t finished. Now, keep up.” Vastra retorted, a little irked by the man’s impatience. “There is a parlour trick that is used in the theatres. A hanging can take place on the stage, in full view of the audience. The trick here is that the noose is attached to a hook, which is in turn attached to a belt around the waste of the criminal. The hook absorbs the pressure of the noose, leaving the neck slightly bruised, but in no way damaged enough to cause the wearer any harm. The only predicament is that the hangman must attach the hook himself. It is my conclusion that the hangman is either in cohorts with Mr Sandalwood, or he was an imposter. This should be your first line of inquiry.”

Jenny stood leaning against the doorframe of the cell, watching on as Vastra relayed her thoughts to the inspector. The confidence in her deduction of the mystery at hand was enthralling.

“But he was dead.” The inspector reiterated once more.

“Indeed. That is a fact that I am beginning to doubt”

****

The carriage ride back home was quiet; Jenny stared out of the small window, a question coming to mind. “How did you learn how to be a detective ma’am, if you don’t mind me askin?”

“Not at all my dear. I wouldn’t say it was something I learned as such, it seems to come naturally. Most of my early life, all those millions of years ago, were spent tracking and hunting. I am quite different to humans as I feel you may have gathered,” Vastra turned to Jenny, allowing her tongue another appearance as if to reiterate her point, “my senses are a lot more evolved than yours.” She watched the young girl as she listened on with interest. “I do not divulge all of my secrets to the police; sometimes I am able to tell exactly who did it, how, when and why. But I have to make sure that I do not draw too much attention to myself. Humans are not the most forgiving race when it comes to something they do not know. So I leave them a few bread crumbs, hoping they are able to come to the conclusion on their own. The Doctor managed to somehow persuade me to use my abilities for good, the alternative would not have been pretty. I think he saved my life the day I met him.” Vastra smiled at the memory, and how far she had come. She would not trade her life for another, not now.

“I’m glad he did ma’am.” Jenny said, she looked down at her hands currently fiddling with the hem of her coat, the thought of life without having met Vastra was not a happy one.

“Now you my dear,” Vastra moved to take one of Jenny’s hands in her own, as if to inspect it, “you have your own very handy skills.” Both of Vastra’s hands where now admiring the young maids fingers, the softness of Jenny’s skin was entirely pleasant against Vastra’s, the warmth emanating from the hand was inviting. She held the palm in front of her, as if to inspect it further, placing her own on top like a mirror image.

Jenny couldn’t take her eyes from the woman in front of her, the soft touch making her heart race. She told herself that the touch was nothing more than platonic interest in her lock picking skills, but the eyes that met hers were all but platonic. Feeling the coolness of her mistresses’ hand against hers was something she had craved since their first writing lesson. She felt a confidence grow within her, as her eyes got lost in the blue orbs. She moved her hand ever so slightly, and interlocked their fingers, skin grazing against scales as she did so. As her fingertips came to rest on the back of Vastra’s hand, she felt the icy coolness on the back of her own. She would never have thought that holding another person’s hand could be as sensual as this. She saw Vastra’s eyes move, her focus now settling on her lips, Jenny subconsciously moistening them as she did so. She could feel herself moving closer to her goal, hands pressing tighter together as she did so.

Neither of the women had felt the carriage come to a halt, neither had heard the call from the driver alerting them to their arrival at Paternoster Row, it wasn’t until the door was unceremoniously flung open that they were pulled from their hypnotic state. Suddenly aware of the presence of the driver at the carriage door, Jenny pulled back, retracting her hand from Vastra’s grasp.

“Here we are ladies, home at last!” The driver announced jovially, oblivious to the moment he had interrupted. “Don’t think you could ‘ear me with all this racket goin’ on!” He nodded his head in the direction of the gang of children kicking a ball about the street, shouting and cheering as they did so.

Vastra was still looking at Jenny, noticing how her eyes were now wide with fright. Was it fright for what they had almost done, or for almost being caught? A question that Vastra was curious to know the answer to, but at the same time afraid that it may have been the former.

“Thank you kind sir,” Vastra turned away from Jenny, but not before giving her one last look, her eyes trying to reassure Jenny that she has nothing to be frightened of. She handed the driver his payment as she stepped out on to the cobbles.

“Sorry mate, I think you’re right,” Jenny replied to the driver as she too stepped out, “noisy buggers!”

Vastra was already making her way through the front door by the time Jenny had exited the cab completely. She followed on, a little unsure of herself after what had transpired in the carriage. She felt something from Vastra. Jenny knew her own feelings, they were ever growing, and getting more difficult to supress, but she had to. She was her maid. Not her friend, and certainly not her lover. She did not know, however, if those feelings were being reciprocated. Vastra’s eyes seemed to speak to her, in ways she never thought possible. It is as if they are a doorway, inviting her in, and one that she was extremely tempted to walk through.

Jenny removed her coat, hanging it next to Vastra’s on the stand, her mistress had already disappeared into her study. As Jenny made her way to the kitchen, she noticed that the door to the study was still open, Vastra currently sat at her desk, riffling through papers she assumed were her notes from today’s case. It was nearing on seven pm already, almost time to prepare dinner.

“I’ll be in with your dinner soon ma’am.” Jenny called to Vastra, she went to pull the study door closed to give her mistress some privacy while she worked.

“Jenny, my dear,” Vastra called before the door was shut completely, “I would be grateful of some assistance if you are willing?”

“Of course ma’am,” Jenny replied, a little surprised at the request, and unsure if she could be in the same room as Vastra without making a fool of herself. “I’ll be back in a jiffy.”

Vastra’s heart skipped a beat at the acceptance of her invitation, not yet willing for her time with the maid to be over for today. Dinner was usually served in her solarium, she thought Jenny may start to get suspicious if she decided to dine with her in the kitchen, instead she would insist that jenny join her, the current case being her excuse. She picked up the letter she had taken from the prison wall, a note pad and a pen, making her way to her solarium, she called to Jenny to bring her own dinner in with her, they would peruse the clues as they ate.

They sat and ate, each pitching ideas to each other as they did so. Their rapport seemingly unaffected by the incident in the carriage.

“It’s not as easy as the letters spelling out the clue then, seems he was a clever one.” Jenny stated, “It took a clever one to write it, and a clever one to decipher it.” Jenny rested her knife and fork on her plate, having finished her meal.

“It would seem so my dear,” Vastra took the last droplet of blood from her glass, settling it down on the table. “I’m afraid my mind is not up for the challenge today, my focus is somewhere else entirely.” Vastra closed her notebook, placing the letter inside. “We shall continue tomorrow.”

“I’m not sure how much help I’m being ma’am, it seems I’m more of a distraction than anything else.” She lifted an eyebrow as she looked to Vastra, but cringed inwardly at her own attempt of flirting.

“That’s as it may be my dear, but it is most definitely a welcome one.” Vastra retorted, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, the glint in her eye not going unnoticed. “Miss Flint, as I have already mentioned on more than one occasion, I rather enjoy your company, but I feel that my position as your mistress is somewhat of a hindrance. I do not want to abuse my position, and neither do I want you to feel,” Vastra paused, trying to find the right word. She cleared away their plates to make her upcoming point, “obliged. You do not have to spend your time with me, you do not have to talk with me or flirt with me,” She noticed the flush appear on Jenny’s face. “but I do enjoy it, I enjoy it because it is you. I do not see you as my maid, I know it is the position I gave to you, but it was simply because I had no other way of helping you.”

“Ma’am…” Jenny tried to speak, but her mid was currently devoid of words.

“Jenny, I see you as my friend, a dear friend that I have come to care a great deal about. I want you to treat this house as your home, not your place of work. You have taught me so much in the time that you have been here, I think I can make a greater effort to clean up after myself.” Vastra smiled, she would not go back on that promise, she didn’t want Jenny to be running around after her, it felt disrespectful to her.

“Ma’am……” Jenny tried again.

“But I would rather like it if you would help me on my cases more often, your insight is just as valid as my own, you would be my partner, I know you will say that you still want to pay your own way, if there is anything I know about you, Jenny Flint, is that you are not work shy, and also not a charity case. In assisting me with my cases, my payment is as much yours as it is mine.” Vastra took a breath, finally realising that she had been rambling, her nervousness of the admittance seeming to make an appearance. “And just one more thing, my name is Vastra, I would be grateful if you would use it.”

“Vastra…..” The word felt foreign to Jenny, having not used it since the day they met. It also felt almost pleasurable to say.

“Yes, my dear?” She had never heard her name sound so exquisite, Jenny had managed to say it in a way that made it sound like an ode to a lover.

“Vastra,” Jenny repeated, “who’s gonna make the tea then?” Jenny’s smile was radiant, she hoped it would convey that she had heard and understood everything that was said, it had been a long time since Jenny had really thought of Vastra as her mistress, no matter how much she had tried to convince herself otherwise.

****

It had been almost a month since the change in circumstances at 13 Paternoster Row. The change had not been a drastic one, Jenny still took it upon herself to clean the house and wash the linen, despite the disapproval of Vastra. They had gone no further in their personal relationship, despite the fact that each of them longed for it. The only difference being that they spent a lot more time in each other’s company. The case load was as high as it had ever been, Jenny had taken very well to her new role, she could even say she had managed to solve some of the crimes herself. The case of the missing prisoners had remained unsolved; Inspector Abberline had withdrawn Vastra from the case, sighting a command from upon high. His suspicion being the corrupt hierarchy having a hand in someone’s pocket. This had intrigued both of the women, vowing to not let it go completely.

“Ma’am,” The word still slipped out every now and then, it was a difficult habit to kick, especially when it was being used to scald the Silurian, “Someone has to do it, I would be doing it if I lived alone, so what’s the harm in me doin’ it here?”

“I’ll get a maid.” Vastra replied.

“You had one of them, you fired her remember.” Jenny shot back, her eyebrow raised mockingly.

“I did no such thing and you know it.” Vastra attempted to assist Jenny in folding the linen, making a shoddy job of it.

“If you’re gonna help, let me show you.” Jenny took the bedsheet from Vastra’s hands, “Take the corners first, like this,” She placed two parallel corners of the bedsheet into Vastra’s hands, “Shake out the creases so it’s nice and flat,” Vastra followed Jenny’s instructions, “bring the two corners together,” Jenny took Vastra’s hands in her own, and bought them to join in the middle. “Now this bit is easier with two, I usually lay it flat on the bed, my little arms can’t reach that far.” Jenny grabbed the other two corners, currently resting on the floor, and folded them the same as Vastra had done, the sheet now hanging between both of their hands. “Now I bring my corners over to you, see, now it’s small enough for you to fold.”

Before Jenny had a chance to pull her hands away after handing Vastra the two corners, she felt the soft scaled fingers wrap themselves around her wrists in an attempt to prevent her from moving away.

“I didn’t fire you Jenny, I simply removed the title of maid so that you would come to see me as your equal, as I do you.”

“I know, I was teasing, but you need to let me get on with the house work, or this place will end up lookin’ like a bomb’s hit.” Jenny replied softly, “Now, get on with that foldin’ and I’ll go put the kettle on.”


	13. Chapter 13

Jenny was trying to get into a new book, picked at random from one of the many shelves about the house. Her attention being drawn away by the incessant banging and crashing coming from Vastra’s solarium. Her determination to leave her to whatever it is she was doing slowly fading, she huffed as she closed the book, placing it on the seat next to her, ready for her to return to it, hopefully, once she had dealt with the intrusion to her peace.

She could hear Vastra’ voice as she neared the closed door…

“I will find you, and I will kill you……” Another crash sounded through the walls. “I have told you once, go back from whence you came, or I shall not be blamed for what will follow.”

Jenny was almost frightened to open the door, unknowing what she may witness, but she couldn’t let this carry on. She opened the door, as she did so the sound of a whip reached her ears, feathers seemed to burst from the wall beside her. Her eyes darted to Vastra to a sight one could only describe as feral. She watched as the reptilian tongue retracted into her mouth, a plump pigeon following behind, to settle with a crunch at her teeth. Blood streamed down Vastra’s chin as she looked up to Jenny. Taking a bite of the bird before she removed it from her jaws, wiping her mouth on a napkin she had pulled out of her sleeve.

“I did give it fair warning,” Vastra declared, with a shrug of her shoulders.

“That you did ma’am, I’ll leave you to it then.” Jenny had resided to the fact that she wasn’t going to get any peace at home, deciding to take a walk into the market. “I’m off out, is there anything I can get you?”

“No, thank you my dear.” Vastra replied as she plucked at the feathers that had settled on her chest.

“I won’t be long.” With that, Jenny closed the door and left Vastra to her snack.

It had been almost two hours since Jenny had left for the market, Vastra was starting to worry. She knows she shouldn’t, Jenny is her own woman, and her time is hers to use as she saw fit, though she couldn’t help the sense of unease that had settled in her stomach. She glanced at the clock on the mantle once more, almost six in the evening. She had come to warm herself in front of the drawing room fire, the dull May day bringing a heavy downpour of rain and a slight chill to the air. She had decided that Jenny must have taken refuge from the rain, waiting it out until it eased off enough for her to make her way home. This thought settled her slightly, as she sat cross legged on the floor she willed herself to relax and enjoy the warmth of the flickering flames before her. A light knock at the door woke her from her meditative trance. Maybe she had forgotten her key again.

Vastra made her way to the front door, noting that the sideboard that was usually home to Jenny’s key was empty, she could see Jenny’s silhouette through the tinted glass.

“What have you done with it this time,” Vastra started, it took her a split second for the sight in front of her to register “Oh, Jenny, what happened?” she pulled the girl inside, the rain still pouring down, unrelenting.

Vastra held Jenny by the shoulders, examining her face just as a single tear escaped from the corner of her eye, tracking it’s way over the purple bruise on her cheekbone, coming to rest at her bust bloody lip. Vastra lifted her hand, gently placing it under Jenny’s chin, lifting her face slightly so that she could assess the damage. She used her thumb to softly wipe away the single tear, and brought Jenny closer into her warm, safe arms.

Jenny sniffed into Vastra’ shoulder, the tears starting to flow freely as she felt the emotion wash over her.

“He even took me bloody strawberries,” Jenny sobbed, she tried to make light of the situation. “I got mugged. Bastard took me by surprise, just knocked me to the floor like I was skittle.” Jenny lifted her head from its resting place, and looked up at Vastra, “bet I look a right state don’t I.” She let out a soft laugh, the movement pulled at her bruised cheek, her lip still seeping with red liquid.

“You are as radiant as ever my dear,” Vastra smiled. Jenny’s soaking wet hair was clinging to her face, her deep brown eyes still sparkled with life, Jenny was truly a beauty to behold despite her injuries. “Come, sit by the fire,” Vastra took her by the hand, and led her to the drawing room, helping her to sit as she had moments before, in an attempt to warm her through. “I’ll be right back, try and take some of those wet clothes off.”

Vastra left the room and entered the kitchen, once out of earshot she let out a deep, fierce growl, the sound rattling from her chest, the anger inside her threatening to spill over. She could still smell the foreign odour that had attached itself to Jenny, a scent that she will not forget. She was determined to seek it out, to sink her teeth into the neck of the monster who did this to her. She tore through the kitchen, pulling out drawers and emptying cupboards in search of something to clean Jenny's wounds. She found the clean handkerchiefs, filled a bowl with warm water and soap, and three fresh towels from the linen pile. Ignoring the mess she had left in her wake, she made her way back to Jenny’s side, unwilling to let her out of her sight for too long.

Vastra took her seat on the floor to the side of Jenny who had already removed the wet clothes and now sat in her underwear, her chemise and drawers seemed to be sticking to her skin, the rain had soaked her right through. Vastra wrapped a towel around Jenny’s shoulders in an attempt to quell the shivering. She wrapped it tight, and proceeded to dry her hair with another. Gently loosening the bun, removing the hair pins one by one, she watched as the strands fell to rest on her back. She gently massaged the tendrils in the towel, ridding it of some of the dampness. Satisfied at her work, she moved to sit in front of Jenny, their knees touching as they both sat cross legged. Vastra placed the bowl of warm water by her side and picked up one of the fresh handkerchiefs. She dipped a corner in to moisten the cloth, and brought it up to Jenny’s lip. She placed her other hand under Jenny’s chin, feeling the girl relax into the touch. She used her hand to tilt Jenny’s head slightly, to get a better view of the wound, gently running the damp cloth over it, ridding it of the dried blood that had settled there.

“Do I need stitches?” Jenny’s voice was a whisper, her eyes had closed as she relished in the feel of Vastra sitting so close, enjoying the touch of her hand.

“No my love,” Vastra noticed the small smile that played on Jenny’s lips as she heard the words, “for that, I am grateful.” She leaned in, closing the gap between them, Jenny’s eyes still closed and unaware of the close proximity, and placed a gentle kiss at the side of Jenny’s mouth, over the wound as if the act would heal it completely.

Jenny opened her eyes slowly as she saw Vastra move back to her position, continuing to use the handkerchief to clean the dirt that had attached itself to the pale skin as it had hit the pavement. Jenny brought a hand up to cover Vastra’s, stopping her movements and gaining her attention.

“Thank you.” another lone tear escaped, falling on their joined hands.

“Hush now, you have nothing to thank me for my dear.” Vastra finished with the cloth, setting it aside by the bowl. “Now, I am going to draw you a bath, and when you are done, you will eat and we will talk.”

Jenny stayed for a few more minutes, enjoying the warmth from the fire. She smiled to herself, the memory of Vastra’s lips lightly brushing her skin was warming her from the inside. She thought about how it would have felt, if she had turned her head ever so slightly, allowing them to be met with her own. With one last gaze into the red embers, she rose from the floor, and made her way to the bathroom, towels still wrapped tightly around her body. As she neared the door, she could hear a faint rumbling growl over the noise of the running water. She looked to Vastra, who was currently stood at the window looking out onto the streets. She could see that her shoulders were tense, her hands were gripping the sill. As she walked closer, she could see claw marks scratched into the wood, the animalistic noises reverberating through the room.

“Vastra….” Jenny called out softly, noticing that the noise was emanating from the Silurian. She moved closer, placing a hand gently at Vastra’s back, trying to calm her.

“I will find him Jenny, he will pay for what he did to you.” The growl softened at Jenny’s touch, but her anger did not dissipate.

“Oi, look at me you daft lizard.” Jenny put her hand to Vastra’s elbow in an attempt to get her to turn round. “I’m fine, a little bruised but I’ll live.” Vastra finally turned to face her, her eyes had darkened, the usually bright blue now taken over by a shadow, they were almost as black as the night sky.

“I know, but what if you weren’t?” Vastra questioned, reaching out to tame a loose strand of hair that had fallen across Jenny’s face.

“But I am, and that’s all that matters.” Jenny smiled at Vastra, to prove her point. She was fine, a little bruise and a bust lip was nothing compared to what she had been through while she was out on the streets. It had hurt her ego, and her confidence more than anything else, the assault had made her feel like she had back then, useless, worthless. “Let me have my bath and I’ll be right as rain.”

“Of course, I have laid out some fresh clothes on your bed, I hope you don’t mind me going through your things.” Vastra said, a little sheepishly.

“That’s very sweet of you,” Jenny’s beaming smile could have lit the whole room. Who would have thought that this ancient Silurian Warrior could have such a soft, kind heart.

“I know.” Vastra teased, attempting to lift the mood. She left the room, and closed the door behind her, the next task at hand would be the most challenging yet.

****

“This has got to be the best chicken soup I have ever eaten” Jenny was slurping at the remainder of the liquid, straight from the bowl. “Did you try it?”

“You know full well I didn’t.” Vastra replied, already having finished her plate of calves liver.

“Well, you should’ve.” Jenny stated as she looked down at her now empty bowl.

“Alas, I fear that it is too late,” Vastra joked as she took note of the empty bowl, and the empty saucepan on the stove. “Such a shame.”

“What is a shame is that you don’t cook more often.” Jenny raised an eyebrow in Vastra’s direction.

“I will see what I can do my dear.” Vastra smiled at Jenny, proud that she had managed not to make the girl sick. She rose from the table, setting her plate into the sink. “Jenny, have you heard of Jiu Jitsu?”

“No ma’am, who’s ‘e then?”

“He is not a he my dear, _it_ is an art of combat, developed by Japanese Samurai Warriors.” Vastra took to her seat once more, opposite Jenny. “I would like to train you, if you are willing?”

“Is this because I let some oik push me over in the streets? He took me by surprise, I told you that.” Jenny knew full well that she still wouldn’t have had the faintest idea how to have stopped it even if she wasn’t surprised, he was twice the size she was.

“Jiu Jitsu will never leave you open to a surprise attack. It is not about brute force and violence, it literally is an art form.” Vastra explained, she was not going to take no for an answer, she needed to make sure Jenny was capable of defending herself, especially in their line of work. She had not yet joined her out on reconnaissance as yet, and was not willing to let her do so until she could hold her own.

“Is that what you do down in your little hole then, juice-hit-sue?” Jenny was starting to warm to the idea, if it meant she could watch Vastra at work.

“Jiu Jitsu,” Vastra cringed a little at Jenny’s pronunciation, “And yes, that is what I do in my _training room_ , it is not a little hole!” Vastra was a little put out by Jenny’s description. To be fair to her, she had not yet seen the extent of the room, only what she could see from the bottom of the steps when she had first introduced Jenny to it.

“Sorry, _training room_ ,” Jenny teased. “That sounds like a lovely idea.” Her genuine delight at the idea was undeniable.

“I assure you, Miss Flint, it will most certainly not be _lovely_ ” The evil gleam in Vastra’s eyes made Jenny baulk, she had no idea what she had let herself in for.


	14. Chapter 14

Sweat was dripping from Jenny’s brow, her heart was racing, and her breath was ragged. She looked up to the ceiling from her position on the floor, her back to the hard stone, willing herself to get back to her feet, to ignore the pain.

“My dear, we have barely even scratched the surface.” Vastra called at her from across the room. “One more set and we can take a break.”

“Take a break? How long we talkin’, three weeks?” Jenny was starting to deeply regret accepting Vastra’s offer, but she couldn’t back out now, Vastra wouldn’t let her even if she wanted to.

“Five minutes.” Vastra replied, her tone more of an order than a suggestion.

Jenny got to her feet and proceeded to do another set of warm up exercises, the usual amount having now doubled, this now being her forth training session.

“Any longer at it would defeat the object of a warm up.” Vastra was currently sat reading her newspaper in the dim light at the other end of the training room, keeping an eye on Jenny as she did so, having completed her own training an hour earlier.

“I’m quite warm enough,” Jenny breathed out between push ups, attempting to blow the bead of sweat from its path before it dripped into her eyes.

“It is a necessary task my dear, muscles are delicate things, overstretch them and you will pay for it for a week.”

“I’ll pay you anything if you let me stop.” Jenny hollered across the room.

“Hush, it will be a lot easier if you would stop talking.” Vastra took a sip of her tea as she read through an interesting article about Charles Darwin, following the fifth anniversary of his death a month earlier.

“You enjoyin’ yourself over there?” Jenny huffed as she had almost completed her last set of reps.

“Quite, thank you” Vastra replied, not entirely registering the sarcastic tone.

“Glad to hear it.” Jenny had come to take her measly five minute break, sidling up next to Vastra to read over her shoulder while she took a drink of water. “What’s that bit about, they got somethin’ about that escaped butler there.” Jenny pointed to the small item at the bottom of the page.

“That had caught my eye as well my dear, that case has not left my mind, I do hate to leave anything unsolved. I suggest we take this up once we have finished here, even if it is for my own sanity.” Vastra folded the paper and stood from her stool, “Now, the same as yesterday, we will go through the blocking motions. Once we have those committed to memory, we will move on to throws.”

They moved together effortlessly, Vastra making a move to punch or kick, Jenny seeming to block each one as it came. The odd one or two caught her off guard, she was grateful that Vastra wasn’t using her strength behind any of the attacks, she doubted she would still be standing if she had.

The hour passed far too quickly, Jenny was beginning to enjoy the sessions, she felt that she was finally starting to get the hang of Jiu -Jitsu , and had even her pronunciation of it was improving.

****

“Wait, turn back to that last page a minute.” Something had peaked Jenny’s interest, they were currently working through Vastra’s notes on the escaped prisoners, determined not to let it lie, despite the request from Inspector Abberline. “How did you not notice that?!”

“What?” Vastra scanned the page, unable to determine what she had missed.

“That.” Jenny pointed to the four photographs, portraits of Mr Sandalwood and the three escapees taken at the time of their imprisonment. “They could be mistaken for being the same man. Except for the very slight differences, this one’s got a scar, and that one’s nose is a bit crooked, but other than that, they all look quite disturbingly alike.”

“Ah, well, I assumed that it was my poor grasp of ape features, they all look the same to me anyway.” Vastra didn’t notice the glare directed at her from Jenny. "I tend to rely on other senses to tell them apart."

“Thank you very much! So your sayin’ I look like ‘im?” Jenny pointed at one of the men, with his stubbly chin and deep set eyes, she was beginning to wonder what Vastra saw when she looked at her.

“Of course not my dear, you are obviously an exception. I could spot you in a crown of a thousand apes at a distance of a three hundred yards.” Vastra smiled at Jenny, nudging her with her elbow in an attempt to get her to stop frowning.

“I’m gonna test that one day, you mark my words.” Jenny quipped back. “And I am not an ape.”

“If you say so.” Vastra replied. “These men, they all look the same to you as well then?”

“Yes, like they could be related, brothers even,” Jenny took a closer look, “See how when I cover everything but their eyes, it’s like the same picture.” Jenny looked to Vastra for confirmation, and then tutted to herself when she realised woman couldn’t see a difference anyway.

“This has indeed opened a few lines of enquiry my dear. What would I do without you?” A rhetorical question she did not expect an answer to.

“Call me an ape once more and you’ll find out.” Jenny teased.

Vastra ignored the comment. She flicked through a few more pages, to a map she had drawn out of the prison and its cells. “While you have been gadding about,” She ignored the tut that emanated from Jenny’s direction, “I have been marking a path that each prisoner would have had to take to get out of the building. In each instance, I rate it highly improbable, I would even go so far as to say it was impossible, for any of these men to make it into the outside world without help from another party.”

Jenny followed Vastra’s hand as it moved over the page, demonstrating that there were numerous points in which any of them would have been caught. “There were definitely no holes in the floors then?” Jenny was clutching at straws.

“No my dear, not one. And so I have reached quite a dull conclusion, unless they had other worldly assistance, that it is in fact a case of bribery. That or teleportation.” Vastra’s brow creased slightly in concentration, mulling over the two options. “Definitely bribery.”

“Why’s that then?” Jenny asked, amused at the suggestion of teleportation as a serious line of enquiry.

“Teleportation devices leave a trail, much like a scent, but more of a feeling. Imagine your bones are vibrating within you, not fiercely, but noticeable. It can linger in the air for days, I did not feel this once, not at the prison.” Vastra explained.

“Right, seems to make sense to me.” the sarcasm of Jenny’s words were not lost on the Silurian this time.

“My dear, you will come to learn that there are things in this world that do not belong, and beings in this world that have travelled from another.” She turned to look at Jenny face on, “Some are innocent beings, looking to explore or to escape the perils of their own home. Some are not so innocent. Intent on making our Earth their own, to rid it of all its inhabitants and take what’s left.”

“Have you come across any?” Jenny was wide eyed, listening to Vastra as if she were a child at story time.

“Indeed, quite a few. As have you.” Vastra smiled at the open mouthed look on Jenny’s face.

“Now, back to the case at hand. They used bribery, this coupled with the fact that these men are in fact from the same family as you astutely pointed out,” She gave Jenny a wink in praise, “means that…….” she paused, for dramatic effect “……I am still none the wiser.” She huffed and pushed her chair away from the desk, bringing her feet up on to rest on the hard wood, she crossed her arms and admitted defeat.

“How about a nice cup of tea?”

“That would be lovely my dear, I fear the conclusion to this case is not going to come easily.” Vastra sighed.

Jenny made her way to the kitchen, just as a knock on the door announced the arrival of a visitor.

****

“Inspector, come in.” Jenny took the man’s coat and hung it on the stand. “I’ll let Madame know you’re here.”

“Actually Miss Flint, it’s you I’ve come to see.” Inspector Abberline replied.

“Oh yeah, what for?” Jenny was already suspicious.

“Well, it’s more of a personal matter,” The inspector fidgeted a little uncomfortably, “I have been sent here by my superintendent.”

“Sounds ominous. What does ‘e want then?” Jenny stood with her arms crossed, impatience starting to grow as nothing came out of the detective’s mouth.

“Well, it’s rather childish but if I don’t ask I’ll only get assigned to desk duty for a fortnight. See, the thing is, the Superintendent has taken quite a liking to your Madame, he says ‘The veil gives her a mysterious quality’, I think he’s got a fetish myself.” Abberline rolled his eyes at his coming comment, “He asked me, to ask you, to ask her, if she would be so inclined as to join him for dinner.”

Jenny couldn’t help the laugh that came, “I’m sorry, do you blokes every grow out of your school yard behaviour? Why you askin’ me? I’m not her keeper!” Jenny didn’t like to admit it to herself, but the thought did make her feel quite jealous, she doubted the offer would be accepted, but the offer was there none the less. She rolled her eyes and huffed, “I’ll go and ask her but I’m pretty sure I know her answer already. Wait there.”

Jenny made her way to Vastra’s study, “Ma’am, the inspector wants to know,” The laugh was threatening to escape once more “He wants to know if you fancy steppin’ out with the Superintendent?”

The look that met Jenny at the mere suggestion was one of confusion and mild disgust. “Whatever for?”

“He finds you _mysterious_ ma’am,” Jenny winked, teasing Vastra further. “It’s the veil, he’s got a fetish.” Jenny chuckled at the frown that had settled on Vastra’s forehead.

“A fetish? How grotesque.” Vastra shuddered slightly. She was not at all interested in the man, or any man for that matter, but the fact that this man in particular had been subject to numerous internal investigations of misconduct, coupled with the fact that he seemed to view women as items for his collection made him even more unappealing. She had managed to avoid him at numerous police conferences and galas, but it seems she had not gone unnoticed by him. As she was about to confirm her response was indeed an absolute no, she changed her mind. “Tell him I would be delighted.”

****

“I hope you know what you’ve got yourself into.” Jenny said as she helped Vastra with her coat. “I know you can handle yourself, but your restraint will be tested.”

“Restraint? Surely you do not think I will be throwing myself into his arms by the end of the evening?” Vastra was appalled by even the mere suggestion.

“No, I was thinking more along the lines of having your claws around his throat.” Jenny was actually pleased by the image, she didn’t have the highest regard for him. “He’s an arsehole.”

“An _arsehole_ he may be my dear, but he also may be the link to solving the case.” Vastra had one thing in mind, an answer to the riddle of the three vanishing prisoners and the walking dead.

“So you’re pimping yourself out so you can get peace of mind?” Jenny was still feeling a little jealous, but didn’t let it show, or so she had thought.

“My dear, are you jealous?” Vastra smiled at Jenny, knowing the answer already. “If you like, I can recommend that he seek you out for a turn too?” Vastra flinched at the flick to her nose, Jenny didn’t take the comment too well. “Ouch”

“Serves you right. And yes, I am jealous. Jealous that you have the chance to kick him in the bollocks and I don’t.”

“That is a pleasing thought. My dear, it is nearing seven, I best be on my way.” Vastra opened the front door and stepped into the waiting carriage, “Don’t wait up!” She joked as she closed the door behind her.

“Bugger off already!” Jenny called out, noticing the stares from passers-by. Realising that it probably wasn’t the most appropriate way for a maid to be speaking to her mistress. She closed the front door, ready to spend the evening at home alone.

****

Vastra had arrived at the restaurant, it was a popular establishment among the wealthy elite of the city. It was brimming with customers, the warm Friday evening had tempted people from their homes for a chance to take a stroll and sample the delights that the many eateries offered, French being the most popular. The Silurian didn’t think much to ape food at all, the fact that it had been prepared by an ape from a different part of the world made no matter to her.

“Good Evening Madam. Do you have a reservation?” The Maître D’ greeted her, his false pleasantries not going unnoticed.

“Mr Grouchfoot, there should be a reservation under that name.” Vastra replied curtly, already looking forward to getting back in the carriage and returning home.

“Ah yes, he has already arrived, please, follow me madam.” The man held out his arm for Vastra to take, her silent refusal pushed him on his way.

As they meandered through the tables occupied by other patrons, she was taken to the table in the corner of the room, sheltered from prying eyes and more private than she would have liked. Mr Grouchfoot, the Superintendent of Scotland Yard, was already waiting for her, tucking into a bread roll. As he saw Vastra approach, he moved to stand, wiping his hand on his jacket, the look in his eye made her feel uncomfortable already.

“Vastra, what a pleasure.” He took Vastra’s gloved hand and placed a kiss to it, lingering far too long.

“Madame Vastra, if you will.” Vastra was irked at his impoliteness.

“Yes yes, please, take a seat.” He motioned for her to sit in the chair opposite him, he watched her intently as she did so, leering at her without even trying to be discreet about it. “I’m glad you accepted my offer, no widowed woman should be on her own for too long.”

“Quite. Now, Mr Grouchfoot, before you continue. I am in no way interested in courting you or being courted by you. Nor do I have any interest in anything of a sexual nature.” Vastra sat still, waiting for his response, the gleam in his eye and the smirk on his face made her realise that she had just given him a challenge. She couldn’t wait for the evening to be over.

“We’ll see about that love.” He winked at her, his balding head shimmering in the candlelight as he nodded to her drink. “Have a glass or two and we’ll see where we end up ‘ey?”

She was glad that her veil obscured her face, the anger was starting to spill over, her eyes had grown dark. If she was going to get what she wanted, she needed to settle herself and succumb to the fact that she was going to be ogled and sexualised for the next hour or two.

“Are you ready to order madam?” The waiter appeared just in time.

Vastra turned her attention to the man, having already settled on the only thing palatable on the menu, “I will have the steak tartare, and a pot of English tea.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING!!! Get's a little steamy in this chapter ; )

“So, how was your date?” Jenny hadn’t seen Vastra since she waved her off the night before, having taken herself off to bed just after eleven pm when Vastra hadn’t yet retuned. She had no reason and no grounds to be jealous, Vastra was not hers, not anyones, and she was free to do and see who ever she chose. That didn’t stop her mind from playing tricks on her, teasing her to think that maybe Vastra had changed her mind about the man, maybe she was quite taken with him in the end.

“It was delightful.” Vastra smiled at Jenny, it was not the smile of someone that had just found love, but that of someone that had just found out a deep dark secret.

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself ma’am.” Jenny was being curt, she hadn’t intended to, she knew full well there was more to Vastra’s story.

“I did.” Vastra agreed, “I have an answer to the case.”

“Really? How have you managed that?” Jenny had visions of Vastra holding a knife to the man’s throat while threatening him to divulge information or have his tongue removed.

“Unfortunately it is not as exciting as you may be imagining my dear. I simply got him drunk.” Vastra smiled, pleased with how easy it was to get at the information she wanted.

“So he just told you, just came out with it then?” Jenny laughed, “Not sure that man is in the right job, couldn’t be trusted as far as I could throw him it seems like!”

“Indeed, but alas I think he is just the puppet to a more senior puppet master. I have the answer that I wanted though. It seems, Superintendent Grouchfoot is covering for his uncle. His uncle is Sebastian Cromwell.” Vastra stated.

“Cromwell? As in the man that was murdered by George Sandalwood? How can he be covering for a dead man, covering what exactly?” Jenny’s interest peaked, she set down the tea tray, and poured herself and Vastra a cup, settling into her chair at the table, her eagerness to know the truth about the case was evident as she looked to Vastra to continue.

“My thoughts exactly. Which is why I urged him to continue, by way of another three glasses of sherry.” Vastra smiled at Jenny, the look on her face was pure delight. “Despite my early insistence that I would not be divulging any activity that would be deemed sexual in nature, he took this upon himself as a challenge, I think he must have gathered that the more he told me the more chance he would have.”

Jenny frowned slightly, the thought of that man fawning over Vastra made her nauseous. She corrected herself, it was not her place to be jealous.

“He gathered incorrectly.” She saw the look on Jenny’s face and wondered if the girl would actually think that she would stoop to that level, “I do have some decorum my dear. My methods are slightly obscure at times, but my body is not a bargaining tool.”

“Oh I know that, just don’t like the thought of any woman having to put up with his grubby hands on them.” by any woman, she meant Vastra.

Vastra shuddered inwardly at the thought. She took a sip of her tea and continued with her recap of the evening, “It seems that Mr Cromwell is in fact alive. It was all a façade. He is alive and quite well, and living happily in Canada with Mr Sandalwood.”

“You what? He set all this up cos he fancied his butler?” Jenny was confused.

“It seems it was the only way the two could be together. Grouchfoot didn’t divulge as much but I am quite capable of reading between the lines. The prisoners where planted, one played the part of Hangman, the other acted as Doctor, and the third took the place of the guard at the gates. A generous monetary transaction took place for the escape to be overlooked by the guards on duty, and the three men and his supposedly dead brother made their escape. They didn’t initially intend for Mr Sandalwood to end up in prison, but your deduction of his poor alibi must have put quite the flaw into their plans.” Vastra smirked, the memory of the sneezing horses came to mind.

“I can’t believe he just told you all that.” Jenny was amused, Vastra certainly had her ways of getting what she wanted.

“He did take quite a bit of encouraging I must admit, but I got what I wanted in the end. I can’t say I’m entirely satisfied that all of the lose ends have been tied up, but knowing that no one was actually physically hurt after all, I may as well let it rest.” Vastra got up from her chair, and made her way to her study, “Jenny my dear, I am moving your training schedule forward one hour. I think you are ready to train alongside me.”

“Uh yes ma’am.” Jenny was feeling slightly nervous, not sure of she was quite ready for a beating just yet.

****

They moved effortlessly together, like a dance that had been danced a thousand times, a punch thrown and thwarted without a seconds thought. Kicks aimed at heads dodged without a flicker of an eye. Vastra and Jenny had been training together for almost a month now. The heat of the training room had risen to an uncomfortable degree, sweat dripped from Jenny’s brow quicker than she could wipe it away, yet Vastra seemed as poised as ever, she certainly didn’t look like she had been training for over an hour.

An unexpected move took Jenny by surprise, but managed to push Vastra back a couple of feet, enough to give her a few seconds to catch her breath. She looked at Vastra, her eyes were dark, the stern look to her features was only ever seen in this room, the seriousness of her methods, and harshness of her criticism only spurred Jenny on further.

Vastra had seen her moment. Jenny was not paying attention, her eyes where looking at her, but they weren’t seeing her. With one swift movement, she lurched forward grabbing Jenny’s arm, twisting her around so Jenny’s back was to her front, her elbow now twisted at an awkward angle against her back. Vastra kicked at the back of Jenny’s legs, making her fall to the floor coming to rest on her knees, Vastra still held her arm tightly against her back.

“Concentrate.” Vastra whispered in Jenny’s ear. Her breath was ragged, as was Jenny’s. She could sense Jenny’s discomfort but didn’t give in. She had to get her own way out of this.

“You distracted me.” Jenny replied, a smile playing at her lips despite the pain shooting through her arm.

“I did no such thi…..”

Before Vastra had a chance to finish her sentence, Jenny had managed to escape from Vastra’s hold, Vastra was sent tumbling, her back hitting the hard floor with a thud. Jenny now sat astride Vastra, her knees resting either side of her stomach, her ankles pressing down on Vastra’s thighs in an attempt to restrain her, Jenny’s forearm pressed against Vastra’s neck, their faces mere inches apart.

“Concentrate.” Jenny smirked as she repeated the word back to Vastra.

Vastra looked up to Jenny, she was of course proud of the move Jenny had just pulled, but pride was not the reason she felt the stirring inside of her. She looked into Jenny’s eyes, she had seen that look before, many times. She knew what that look was, she could feel it, but she hadn’t dared to do anything about it. Vastra noticed the way Jenny’s eyes looked down to her lips, she wasn’t brave enough, not yet. She took the moment of calm to play Jenny at her own game. Within seconds she had reversed their positions, Vastra now looking down at Jenny’s flustered face.

“I never lose concentration.” Vastra whispered.

Jenny looked up at her, Vastra’s eyes were dark, but they were different to the shade that overcame them when fighting, it was a warmer darkness, an alluring darkness. She wanted to kiss her, she wanted her to kiss her back. She closed her eyes to quell the feeling; still not sure that she knew what she was getting herself into. She thought it, but she wouldn’t say it.

_Kiss me_

The words were clear as day, Vastra heard them. But Jenny’s lips hadn’t moved.

_Please, kiss me_

There it was again, she definitely hadn’t moved her lips. Jenny’s eyes opened, they focussed on Vastra’s own.

_Say it again_

This time it was Jenny that heard Vastra’s voice, yet Vastra had not said a word. The look on Jenny’s face showed that she had finally registered what was going on.

 _You can hear me?_ Jenny thought

 _Yes my dear, say it again_ Vastra looked into Jenny’s eyes, trying to reassure her that to her this was perfectly normal, well, normal in the sense that a telepathic connection was possible, albeit rare.

 _Kiss me_ Jenny pleaded once again.

Without a beat, Vastra leaned down into Jenny, their lips gently grazed over each other, in a chaste kiss. Jenny relished in the feel of the silk-like skin brushing over her own, the stark contrast of the coolness against her own warmth making her shiver internally in delight. But it wasn’t enough. She looked up to Vastra who was still above her, unmoving. Her eyes had grown darker still, but they were questioning. Jenny had never seen Vastra this unsure of herself, she smiled at the thought, and placed a gentle hand to the back of Vastra’s neck, pulling her down as she rose up to meet her. Their lips crashed together, months of silent yearning came spilling over, hums of pleasure could be heard as lips moved effortlessly together, parting slightly as tongues begged for entrance.

Vastra relaxed into Jenny, her weight now resting on the woman beneath her, she could feel the heat of her body rising through her clothes, the warmth spurring her on. The feel of Jenny’s soft tongue moving against her own was something she had thought about on more than once occasion, but it felt so much better than she could have ever imagined. She deepened the kiss further, not wanting it to stop, their bodies seeming to push for more contact than was possible.

Jenny could feel the vibration of Vastra’s purr through her chest, it was intoxicating, she had heard it before, but only in anger. This was different. It was soft, almost soothing, but intensely erotic at the same time. Vastra’s thigh was pushing at the apex of her legs; the pressure was wonderful, she wanted more but the floor of the training room was not the place. She didn’t want to stop, she wasn’t sure if she could, but they had to. She slowed her kisses, and Vastra followed her lead.

“I think we need to stop” Vastra gasped breathlessly between kisses, seeming to agree with Jenny’s own thoughts. She didn’t stop.

“We should” Jenny countered, still not willing to leave Vastra’s lips.

Vastra finally halted their movements, determined to be the stronger willed of the two. She placed a final soft kiss to Jenny’s neck, but Jenny pulled her in closer begging for more. Vastra smiled into the nape of Jenny’s neck, enjoying the feeling of Jenny’s desire for her.

“We should stop.” Jenny relented, easing the hold she had on Vastra.

Vastra looked back into Jenny’s eyes, a mistake she was sure she would make over and over again. The dark brown orbs seemed to tempt her in, teasing her and taunting her. She closed her eyes and shook it off, she pushed herself up and came to rest on her knees above Jenny, looking down and admiring the woman beneath her. She had never seen such beauty; it was effortless and natural, and absolutely breath-taking. She held out a hand to Jenny, pulling her up into a sitting position, their faces were now as close as they had been just minutes before.

Jenny placed one last kiss to Vastra’s lips; it was an addiction in the making. It was a soft and innocent kiss; one she hoped would portray what she was feeling in that moment. She loved Vastra, there was no denying it.

Vastra rested her forehead against Jenny’s, the slow rumbling purr unrelenting. “Well, I think today’s training session has somewhat taken a turn.” She smiled down at Jenny, seeing the gesture returned warmed her heart.

“Personally, I think it was the best one yet, maybe we should add that into the regime.” Jenny wrapped her arms around Vastra’s waist, unwilling to move. “So, how long have you been reading my mind?”

Vastra was a little embarrassed, maybe she should have warned Jenny of her more quirky abilities. “I haven’t, not once. I can’t unless you let me in, and even then it’s not something I expected would be possible.” Vastra placed a hand to Jenny’s cheek, “I wouldn’t do anything you didn’t want me to do.”

“It’s quite an odd experience, having your voice in my head. I quite like it,” Jenny teased, it was definitely something she would need to get used to. The thought of her own subconscious letting Vastra in to her most intimate thoughts made her cheeks warm with embarrassment.

“Come with me, I think we may need to talk.” Vastra stood, taking Jenny’s hand in her own in a silent request for her to join her.

“I don’t like the sound of that.” Jenny muttered, a little deflated.

****

They sat by the fire in the dim light of the drawing room, the curtains drawn shut against the midday sun. Jenny had taken a seat on the floor, looking into the flames as they flickered against the darkness. The heat emanating from the hearth coupled with the warm air that the summer months brought was a little uncomfortable, but the cool body pressing against her back was a welcome contrast as Vastra sat behind her, her legs either side of Jenny.

Jenny leant back, taking pleasure in the relief from the heat of the room, enjoying the quiet, but unsure of what needs to be said.

“My love...”

Those words again, Jenny had never heard two words that evoked such feelings within her, Vastra’s voice was close to her ear, she heard the words, and felt them all at once.

“I fear we have skipped a few steps.” Vastra felt the woman in front of her giggle at the statement.

“And what steps would those be?” Jenny moved her head so that she could look up to Vastra, seeing the blue eyes look back down at her with such softness seemed to quell the unsettling feeling of the conversation that was to come.

“Well, courting for one. Hand holding,” Vastra was now thinking on the spot. She was not an expert on ape mating rituals, having learnt all she had from the few novels she had in her collection, “reciting poetry....”

Jenny giggled again at Vastra’s missing steps. “Is that what you want to do, recite poetry to me?”

“There are many things I want to do Jenny Flint, for you, with you, and to you.” She placed a soft kiss to Jenny’s neck, grazing it lightly with her teeth; she felt more heat emanating from her than the fire that roared in front of them.

Jenny crossed her legs, in an attempt to settle the throb that had reappeared at the words, and the pleasurable kiss at her neck.

“But first,” she placed another kiss to Jenny’s neck, “would you like to step out with me Miss Flint?”

Jenny couldn’t help the smile that graced her lips at Vastra’s words, they were so tentative an unassuming. Finally settled that this wasn’t a conversation of regrets, she accepted with ease.

“I would love to.”


	16. Chapter 16

Jenny stood at the mirror, her wet hair hung around her face as she pulled her comb through the strands. She watched herself as she did so, noticing how her lips were curled into an unfading smile. Her eyes seemed brighter; her cheeks seemed less pale and a little fuller. She could see the effect that the training had had on her body, her arms more defined, and her shoulders seemed stronger. So much had changed in the last ten months, not only to her appearance, but her whole life. She thought back to her days on the streets, every day was a war. A war for food, for warmth and shelter, and for her life. How could she have been so lucky, not only to have been given a warm home, but she had found someone who she cared a great deal for, more so than she could ever remember caring for another. As if reading her mind, a soft knock interrupted her thoughts.

“Come in,” Jenny watched as the door opened slowly, “its ok, I’ve got me clothes on.” She joked, noticing how timid Vastra was being.

“Maybe I’ll come back later then.” Vastra replied with a wink.

Jenny blushed at the suggestion, it had been three days since their encounter in the training room and so much had changed in that time. There had been no more kisses between them, they were determined to act a little more proper, ignoring the issue that a relationship between a female reptile and a female human was anything but, yet there were flirting comments, and intentional hand touching, glances across rooms that portrayed more than words possibly could.

Vastra came to stand behind Jenny, taking the comb from her hands and taking over the job of detangling the soft tendrils.

“You have beautiful hair Jenny, you should wear it loose more often.” Vastra replaced the comb with her fingers, enjoying the way the strand slipped through them with ease. She had longed to do this on more than one occasion.

“It tends to get in the way, there’s so much of it.” Jenny looked at Vastra through the mirror, noticing at how captivated she was with something that seemed so ordinary.

“I rather think it’s the perfect amount.” She stated, more to herself than to anyone else.

Jenny closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of having her hair brushed, the fingernails grazing lightly against her scalp sent shivers down her spine.

The ringing of the doorbell sounded through the house, bringing both women back to the present moment. Jenny turned to look at Vastra, noticing that she was far from dressed appropriately for visitors, her short sleeves leaving far too many scales on show.

“Ignore it,” Vastra whined, not at all in the mood for visitors, “they’ll come back later if it’s important.”

The bell rang again, followed by three hard raps to the glass.

“I think its important enough for whoever it is to stick around until someone answers it!” Jenny sighed, “I’ll go, you make yourself look presentable just in case.”

Vastra hissed, the hour was far too early for visitors.

Jenny made her way to the door as she finished pinning up her still damp hair, she took a glance in the mirror to make sure that every hair was in place, the ringing of the doorbell making her jump at such close proximity.

“Bloody ‘ell! I’m comin’, hold your horses!”

****

“I apologise for my intrusion, I have read much about the Great Veiled Detective, and thought that if anyone could help, it would be you. Your reputation truly does proceed you.”

“Does it, how very impatient of it.” Vastra eyed the man through the dark material covering her face, she glared at Jenny, not entirely happy with her for letting the man into their home.

“Tea sir?” Jenny motioned to the pot she had in hand.

“No, thank you.” The man replied.

Jenny took her place and stood to the left of Vastra as she did when the Inspector came to call, noticing how the man looked between the two, he was obviously waiting for the ‘maid’ to leave the room before he continued.

“Miss Flint will be staying.” Vastra stated, noticing the man’s reluctance to speak while she was present. She let the silence fill the air, waiting for the man to continue.

“My name is Elwin, Elwin Trotter.” He waited for a beat, expecting a ‘nice to meet you’ or ‘how do you do’ in response, but nothing came. His growing nervousness coupled with the heat of the room made his brow bead with sweat. He wiped his hanky over his forehead, “I’m here regarding my daughter, she seems to get herself into a spot of bother.” Elwin laughed nervously at his statement, “You see, in nine days’ time, she is to be hanged for murder.”

“Well that does seem rather more than a ‘spot’ of bother Mr Elwin.” Vastra replied, slightly amused at his phrasing. “Pray tell, what is it that you hope I can achieve? The guilty must serve their sentence.”

“Well that’s the thing ma’am, I do not believe she is.” Elwin looked to Vastra with pleading eyes. “I defy any man to think his daughter guilty of any crime, I understand that you may think me delusional, but am adamant she didn’t do it.”

“How can you be so sure?” Jenny spoke, making Elwin jump slightly as if he wasn’t expecting the maid to speak.

“Well, the night of the murder, she was with me you see. It was my birthday. We ‘ad a little party to celebrate, my family and I made quite merry of the occasion.” Elwin smiled at the memories, “She was with me all the evening, and even saw the guests to the front door when it was time to call it a night. You see, my wife has long since passed, scarlet fever.” Elwin made a cross over his heart, “God rest her soul. Evie and I, that’s my daughter, we live alone. The moment I let slip that I was half cut, the police didn’t believe her alibi.”

“So why was she convicted of this murder, what is her link to the victim or the scene?” Vastra was starting to get a little restless, of course as Mr Trotter had said, any man would believe his daughter innocent even if guilty, why would this be any different.

“The bloke who was murdered, he had been courting my Evie for a few months now. Jacob, that was is name. He was a nice fella, Evie was very much taken with him. Problem is, he’s a bit of a well-to-do high society nob. Well, is father is anyway. He wasn’t all that keen on his son being associated with the likes of us.” Elwin’s face showed a little shame in his admission. “Her scarf was found, in his hands. He had it balled up tight in his fist. It was Jacob that had bought her the scarf see, from his travels in India.” Elwin’s eyes glimmered in the light as tears started to build. “He was a good boy, he had the world at his fingertips, he could have had any woman he chose, but it was my Evie that had his heart.”

“Well, what was your daughters explanation of the accusation?” Vastra enquired, rather harshly considering the broken man in front of her.

“She doesn’t remember anything. She remembers going to bed, she remembers waking up, in the same place that she had lain her head the night before. As far as she can gather she slept through the whole night.” Elwin was starting to get a little excitable, “And I believe her ma’am. With my whole heart. Something’s not right.”

“When was the last time she says she had the scarf?” Jenny was intrigued, she had heard stories of these miscarriages of justice, stays of execution issued minutes too late, leaving innocent families devastated, and the real culprits free to do as they choose.

“She was wearin’ it. That night.” Mr Trotter answered, aware that this part of the story is where her innocence was seeming more and more unlikely.

Jenny moved to the man’s side, placing a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll see what we can find out.” She said, as she sent a glare to Vastra, urging her to accept the case.

“Payment is expected, whether proven innocent or guilty, Mr Trotter. Please be aware that I will not seek to prove either, but I will seek to provide the truth.” Vastra waited for the mans reply, while noticing the eye roll from Jenny, at her unfeeling business-like manner.

“Of course Madame Vastra, it’s all that I want.” Mr Trotter made to stand, handing Vastra a hand written note. “That’s my address, should you need to find me.” He tilted his hat in a gesture of good bye, and looked to Jenny to see him out.

As Vastra heard the front door click closed, she removed her gloves and veil, and took a sip of her now lukewarm tea.

“What ya thinkin’ then?” Jenny asked as she walked back in the room, taking the seat that had been occupied by Mr Trotter moments before.

“I am thinking,” Vastra took another sip of tea, “That my plans for today have been somewhat scuppered.” She raised an eyebrow to Jenny, making sure to let her know that it was indeed Jenny’s agreement to accept the case that had done so.

“Oh come on you grumpy lizard,” Jenny smiled at the frown that was her reply, “besides, we need to keep ourselves occupied or I’m not quite sure what might happen.” She winked at said grumpy lizard, noticing a slight blush to her usually lighter green scales.

“Indeed, let’s get on with it then.”

****

“Inspector, I require access to case notes and evidence regarding a Miss Evelyn Trotter. I will also require a private meeting with said accused.”

“Madame Vastra, good morning to you too, and Miss Flint, please come in.” Inspector Abberline was not overly impressed with the unannounced visitors; he eyed the constable that had followed the two women into his office with an icy glare. He did not take kindly to being disturbed during his morning cigar break. He took his feet off of his desk in attempt to make himself look as though he was actually hard at work. “Why is it that you need this information?”

“I have reason to believe that there is further evidence to consider.” Vastra stated, not entirely pleased about being questioned on the matter.

“I’ll have one of the lads fetch it for you. It’ll be with you in a few days.” The inspector stubbed out his cigar, having burned to the end unattended in the ash tray.

“We’ll wait.” Jenny said, taking a seat at the other side of the inspector’s desk.

_You are a cheeky little ape_

Jenny was a little shocked at the voice in her head, but sniggered at the words. Abberline looked questioningly between the two, unsure of what he had missed, but not at all surprised by the impatience of the pair.

“Of course, I’ll go fetch it myself.” He nodded to the two women as he left his office, knowing that he was not going to get any peace until he fulfilled their request. “Oi, Smithson! Give Holloway a call and see if they got an Evelyn Trotter, Madame Vastra needs an interview.” He shouted at one of his officers as he shut the office door behind him.

“We should visit the scene of the murder after dark; it will not help if we have too many people milling about us.” Vastra riffled through the papers on the inspector’s desk as she spoke to Jenny. “And it will need to be tonight.”

“Yep, noted.” Jenny had pen in hand, the notes helped her to keep track of the case in her own way.

“I am determined to wrap this up quite quickly, I have other matters to attend to.” Vastra added.

“Anything I can help with?” Jenny enquired.

“Well, there is a certain young lady that has quite taken to me, and I her in fact, I would quite like to spend a little time with her if that’s acceptable?” Vastra was attempting to pretend that the woman in question was not the one currently sat in front of her, but the wry smile and the glint in her eye shining from beneath her veil gave her away immediately.

“I’m not sure about that, have you made sure she hasn’t got any other plans? She might be busy for all you know.” Jenny played along.

“I assure you, when she hears what I have planned she will not be able to think of anything else.” Vastra’s voice had softened to a whisper, which was just as well as the door to the office swung open, Inspector Abberline entered with three files in his arms.

Voices filled the room, but Jenny couldn’t make out the words. The suggestion in Vastra’s voice had turned Jenny’s legs to jelly, her head swam with images that made her cheeks redden, her ears rang with the sound of the purring Silurian. She put her hand to her lips, remembering their kiss, unable to think of anything else, just as Vastra had predicted.

“What do you think Jenny?”

The sound of her name brought her back to reality. “Sorry, what was the question?” She could see the knowing grin through Vastra’s veil.

“My dear, the inspector has offered a police carriage to the prison, one of the other inspectors has an appointment and will be on his way there shortly.” Vastra repeated the inspectors words.

“Oh, right, sounds like a plan ma’am.”

****

“I will need you to leave the room officer.”

“Ma’am, I can’t leave you unattended with a dangerous criminal.” The officer replied.

Vastra looked to the young woman sat at the table, her hair matted and face marked with dirt. She was barely able to hold herself upright, her frailness no doubt brought on by the poor care these women received in prison.

“I am not quite sure your concern is warranted officer. I do believe Miss Flint and I will be fine. Now, if you could wait outside, I will be sure to shout if we require any assistance.” Vastra held the door as she waited for the officer to leave, shutting it behind him as he did.

“Jenny, my dear, I would like you to stand......” Vastra held her by the shoulders, and moved her so that she blocked the view to the room through the small window, “right here. And try not to move, I will need to remove my veil.”

“What about her?! She’ll have somethin’ to say about it when she goes back to her cell.” She whispered harshly.

“Don’t worry, she won’t remember enough to be able to string a coherent sentence together.”

With that, Vastra took the seat at the opposite side of the table, and removed her veil. Jenny heard the gasp from the Evie, but Vastra’s words seemed to stop any further comment from the frail girl.

“Evie, listen to my voice, listen to the words and follow where they may lead.” Vastra’s voice was soft, mesmerising, laced with a slight accent, “You are at home with your father, celebrating his birthday.....”

Jenny wasn’t quite sure what was going on in front of her, she had never heard anything so soothing, so hypnotising. She could hear the words, she followed on intently, listening to every syllable, every rolling R and drawn out S. Jenny was unsure how much more there could be to learn about the woman in front of her, but she looked forward to finding it all out.

Before Jenny had realised the ‘interrogation’ had finished, Vastra stood from the table and looked to Jenny with a questioning glance, Jenny’s mouth was still slightly agape.

“Since when were you Scottish?!”


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait for an update, a lot going on at the moment but please don't ever think I will leave you hanging!

“It would make more sense to assume that the Scottish were Silurian,” Vastra commented sarcastically as they made their way back to the carriage, “Scotland did not exist when I was born.”

“Where did that accent come from then?” Jenny was still confused.

“It didn’t come from anywhere. It is merely a technique that I have picked up.” Vastra continued in the strange accent, “It seems to ease people into a sense of relaxation,” She looked deep into Jenny’s eyes, their faces mere centimetres apart, “I am able to speak to the subconscious mind, ask it what the conscious may not be able to recall,” She noticed how Jenny’s eyes had now glazed over slightly, unblinking. She sat back, and nudged Jenny with her elbow in an attempt to shake her from her hypnotic daze. “I will not pry, you have my word.” She said sincerely.

“Pry into what? What were we talking about?” The confusion on Jenny’s face was evident.

“No matter, just trust that I won’t. We were talking about how Scotland didn’t exist when I was born.” Vastra continued.

“Oh yeah, so, when was that exactly? 65 million years I know, but exactly. I’ve just realised I don’t know when your birthday is, or ‘ow old you are even! I mean, if you take off all that time you were locked away.” Jenny felt a little ashamed that she hadn’t thought to ask this before, but there was so much to know about this woman, “I want to know you.”

“And I you, you have no doubt about that.” Vastra took Jenny’s hand in her own, “As I am sure you are aware, reptiles aren’t _born_ as such, we hatch, from eggs. Our calendar was very different to the current, we had less hours in a day but more days in a year. I cannot tell you when my birthday is, as I simply do not know, it cannot be translated from Silurian dates.” Vastra seemed somewhat saddened by this thought.

“Pick one.” Jenny suggested.

“Pick one?” Vastra questioned, “Pick a birthday you mean?”

“Yes, why not. Everyone has to have a birthday.” Jenny smiled, looking forward to the day she would be able to bake her a cake and watch her not eat it.

“The 21st June.” The date was already in Vastra’s mind, the first day of summer.

“That’s settled that then. Ten days from today.” Smiling, Jenny, took Vastra’s hand and placed a soft kiss to the back of it, receiving the sweetest blush she had ever seen in return.

“On with the matter at hand. Miss Trotter, she did not leave that house. That I am sure of.” Vastra stated. “We will not be able to prove her innocence, not without divulging my personal circumstances; therefore we will have to prove the guilt of another.”

“Seems straight forward enough,” Sarcasm dripped from Jenny’s words, “Where do we start then?”

“With the father.” Vastra grinned.

****

Night had fallen over the city, street lamps flickered against the dark cobbles as the roads that just hours before had been brimming with life. Taverns were kicking out their last few patrons, urging them to get back to their wives before they came out looking for them. The working girls made for home, the usual clientele having diminished by this time of night. As the bells of St Paul’s chimed in the distance, the hour striking 1am, Vastra and Jenny arrived at the location of Jacob Frye’s untimely death.

Vastra had memorised the case notes, the cause of death being a single stab wound to the heart. One that had enough force behind it to crack a rib bone in two. The time of death could have been anywhere between 9 pm, which was the last sighting of Master Frye, and the discovery of the body at 6am. Mr Frye Senior had been adamant that he was home all evening, which Vastra did not doubt. If it was indeed him, which she suspected, he would have had someone else do the dirty work.

“Jenny, please take note,” Vastra knelt to the floor, her tongue darting out for a split second, as if to taste the air around them. “The body had been moved. The blood here,” She pointed to a mark on the stone wall she had come to stand by. It could have been any number of substances, from any number of people, but the impeccable sense of smell that was Vastra’s secret weapon made it extremely difficult to doubt her observations “there has been no effort to remove it. This mark has gone unseen.”

Jenny scribbled in her note pad, making sure her writing was still entirely legible despite not having her favourite pen to hand. “Does that make much of a difference then, him being moved?”

“Well, you tell me my dear. Do you think it possible that the woman we saw at the prison would have been capable of hauling a six foot man from here,” She pointed to the wall with the blood splatter, “To there,” Vastra pointed again, at the area almost 10 feet away, “without so much of a shred of evidence left on her?”

“Not unless she had help, no.” Jenny replied.

“That is a good observation my dear, one that I shall keep in mind.” Vastra looked around them at the scene, content that she had seen enough. “Come my dear, let’s make for home, it’s been a long day and I am in need of rest.”

The cab home was mostly quiet, the long day having caught up on both of the woman. As Jenny yawned for the sixth time, Vastra moved to her side, allowing her to rest her head on her shoulder for the rest of the journey.

As the cab pulled up outside of 13 Paternoster Row, Vastra looked down to a sleeping Jenny.

“Wake up my love, we are home.” Vastra whispered. She noticed the small smile that played at Jenny’s lips, her eyes gently flickered open.

“Home.” Jenny repeated, she had never felt more at home than she did at that moment, half asleep in a London cab, safe in Vastra’s arms.

****

“Inspector, as per the request of Mr Elwin Trotter, I have found that Evelyn Trotter could not have committed the murder of one Mr Jacob Frye.” Vastra handed the inspector her notes, determined to get this done, she had plans for this evening that she did not want interrupted by thoughts of unsolved cases. “You will see in my notes, there is ample evidence of the perpetrator being Mr Frye’s father, or who he thought to be his father.”

“Thought to be?” Inspector Abberline questioned, “How do you mean?”

“He is not his father.” Vastra stated, a little annoyed that the inspector was unable to keep up.

“Right, and how am I supposed to prove that?” The inspector was getting a little agitated, it seems the more the Veiled Detective managed to solve, the more work she brought to the inspectors desk.

“You do not. All you are required to do is to follow my evidence, and arrest the man responsible.” Vastra turned intending to make a swift exit, but Abberline continued talking, stopping her in her tracks. She looked through the inspectors open office door out into the common area, entirely uninterested in what the inspector had to say, to where Jenny seemed to be entirely engrossed in conversation with one of the officers. A slight pang of jealousy hit her as she herd Jenny’s laugh fill the air, her eyes bore into the back of the head of the officer that had Jenny’s attention. As she glanced back at Jenny, she realised she had been caught staring once again. “Yes, thank you inspector, I will leave it to you.”

The inspector stared blankly at Vastra’s back as she exited the room mid conversation, “Yes Madame, of course Madame.” He slumped back at his desk as he looked over the copious notes that had been added to the original file, the more he read the more he agreed that it was ridiculous that the inspector in charge of this case could have pointed the finger at Evelyn Trotter. An illegitimate son, the only heir to the family fortune, and a cheating spouse, are reasons enough for murder.

The Silurian sidled up to the officer currently spouting animatedly at Jenny about something she had no interest in. Her presence seemed to put the officer off as he stammered over his words, realising that the Veiled Detective herself was now looking down at him through the black material.

“Ma’am, I shan’t keep Miss Flint any longer.” He looked back to Jenny, his nerves starting to show as his fists balled behind his back, “Miss Flint, would you like to do me the honour of taking a stroll with me? Maybe go for a bite to eat?”

Vastra cocked her head to the side as she looked at the officer with a questioning glare, realising that he was indeed asking to court her. She said nothing, as she waited for Jenny to reply, the horrible feeling in her gut was enough to tell her she was afraid of the answer.

“I’m sorry Tom, you’re a lovely bloke and all, don’t get me wrong, but my attention lies quite with another.” She chanced a quick look over to Vastra, making sure she understood that she did indeed mean her.

“Ah, I see.” Tom was a little embarrassed at being rejected, “Sorry to put you on the spot Miss, I understand. I’ll let you get on with your day.”

Jenny smiled as she turned and made her way to the door onto the street, she looked back to see Vastra still staring down at Tom, both unmoved, “Ma’am, shall we get goin’ then?”

****

Jenny had been looking forward to this afternoon, more than she can say she had ever looked forward to anything. The sun shone through her bedroom window, the heat hitting her back as it burned through the glass. She dressed in her favourite summer outfit, the fitted pale blue dress hung low at the cleavage, her corset making sure to leave nothing much to the imagination. Pleased with her appearance, she put the finishing touches to her loose flowing hair, pinning it back at the sides to keep it from her face. As the clock chimed four, she smiled to herself, pleased with how she had managed to scrub up and left the room, excited for the afternoon ahead. She made her way to the bottom of the stairs, listening out for Vastra, she hadn’t heard a single noise from the house in a least half an hour. Had she had second thoughts about their date? She looked into the office, nothing but an empty chair. Her solarium was without an occupant also. Just as she was about to venture down into the training room, the door bell rang. “You ‘ave got to be kiddin’. One afternoon, that’s all, just one afternoon without interruptions.”

Jenny reached to open the door, a little perplexed; the silhouette visible through the glass was unmistakable.

“Miss Flint....” Vastra’s poise was momentarily skewed, the vision in front of her made her breath catch in her throat, “I am not sure I have seen anything more beautiful, you are....” Vastra didn’t know where to look, every inch of the woman before her was perfect, her deep brown eyes glistened in the sun light, the soft pale skin of her neck, was inviting her in. The hair that caressed her chest seemed to beckon her forward, her pink lips curled into a sweet smile, pleading to be kissed. “You are exquisite.”

Vastra held out her hand for Jenny to take, ignoring the thought that there may be prying eyes. She took the offered hand, a little disappointed at the cloth of the glove impeding their touch.

“You are quite the romantic,” Jenny smiled at the sight in front of her. The carriage awaiting them was not any ordinary hansom cab, it was something more suited to the elite; gold trim adorned the carriage big enough for at least six. As she stepped up to the door, Vastra opened the carriage and followed in after Jenny. As they sat on the plush seats, Jenny looked to Vastra, she moved her hands to lift the veil, her eyes finally settling on the emerald scales she had fallen for almost a year ago.

“My dear, you seem to bring out something quite unnatural in me.” Vastra teased as she reached out to take Jenny’s hand in hers, she placed a kiss to her palm, “Shall we?” She knocked on the roof of the carriage, a request for the driver to continue on their journey.

****

As they stepped out of the carriage after their thirty minute journey, Jenny realised that they had in fact travelled only as far as the back entrance to their garden, via a detour. The curtains across the carriage window had not only been to obscure the occupants, but seemingly to obscure one particular occupant from their intended destination.

“I couldn’t bear to spend the afternoon looking at you through this ghastly veil; I hope I haven’t disappointed you?” Vastra was sure that Jenny was not the type of woman to expect unnecessary extravagance and self indulgence, there was still a slight hint of doubt that her idea of a perfect afternoon would be a little less than perfect in Jenny’s eyes.

“I couldn’t be less disappointed,” Her smile beamed as she looked into the courtyard at the back of the house, a picnic blanket had been laid out under the apple tree, she took Vastra’s hand and headed to the shaded spot, already sure that this would be a perfectly wonderful afternoon.

As they neared the apple tree, finding the privacy of the branches, Jenny reached up to cup Vastra’s cheek, she moved closer as she looked into the intoxicating blue orbs. A gentle kiss was all that was intended, a kiss that she hoped would convey her contentment, her gratitude for being able to be alone with the Silurian, but the few days that had passed between their first kiss, and this, their second, was far too long for either of them to remain at all platonic. The kiss deepened quicker than it had started, lips moving together as breaths hitched and humms of pleasure filled the air. Hands seemed to have a mind of their own as Vastra removed her gloves, longing to feel the silken skin that had been tempting her to touch since the moment they met at the front door. Reaching to the back of Jenny’s neck, pulling her in closer, deepening the kiss further was all Vastra’s mind was capable of in this moment. She felt Jenny’s tongue against her own, the warmth stirring something inside her.

“I think it’s going well so far,” Vastra said as she slowed the kiss, she rested her forehead against Jenny’s, every ounce of doubt now well and truly vanished.

"Very well. But if we don't stop this now all this will be a waste," Jenny looked down to the picnic basket beside the blanket, looking forward to seeing what Vastra had managed to put together.

"Surely spending our time doing anything other than this," she placed another searing kiss onto Jenny's lips, "is not time worth spending." 

"We'll get back to that, but we need to get back to those missing steps, don't tell me you haven't a little sonnet in there for me." Jenny joked as she placed a hand over Vastra's heart. "I've got a limerick or two but probably not appropriate for courting lovers."

"Lovers? How presumptuous of you my dear." Vastra teased, she pulled Jenny down to sit with her on the blanket, entirely pleased at the thought of being her lover. 


	18. Chapter 18

She looked up to the sun, shining down on her face as she laid beneath the apple tree. The warmth was welcoming, knowing it wouldn’t last long, it never does, but she savoured it all the same. She thought back to her life before. When it was always warm. Cold was never a feeling she had experienced, not before she awoke in the tunnels, but the cool air stabbing at her skin did nothing to ease her mood then. She thought back to the men, their families, she had destroyed them. She would have destroyed so many more if he hadn’t stopped her. Killing seemed so easy to her then, apes were merely food, or a hobby. Chasing their more primitive cousins through the forests of earth, was merely a game she liked to play. She looked down to the source of the weight in her lap, the brunette hair seemed to glow in the sunlight. She ran her fingers through the soft tendrils, imagining what could have been. A dull ache settled in her stomach, she wouldn’t have thought twice about spilling her blood back then, or even as little as ten years ago. The thought made her eyes sting with tears, a lump built at the back of her throat. Somebody had loved those men, the men she had killed on the night she was disturbed, a wife, a mother, even a child. How would she had felt, if this woman before her was cut down in a fit of unfounded rage? She felt her breath hitch as she tried to stifle a sob.

“What’s wrong?” Jenny looked up to the Silurian, thinking she had felt her laugh, but on seeing the tears threatening to spill at her eyes she realised it was sadness that adorned her face. Jenny’s heart sank, did she do something wrong? She sat up straight, looking to her for an answer. “Vastra, my darlin’, what’s the matter?”

“Nothing my love, my imagination seems to be running wild, and not in a direction I long to take.” Vastra sat up slightly, resting on her elbows. “Do not worry,” She reached out to Jenny to come and lay beside her. “I…… for some reason, my past seems to be coming back to haunt me.”

“In what way?” Jenny wanted to help, she wasn’t sure she could, but she would try.

“Seeing you, laying here with me, in one of the happiest, no, _the_ happiest moment I have had in a very long life, made me think of what could have been. What I could have been.” She looked sideways to Jenny, now laying on her back and looking to the sky as Vastra had done moments before, her sun-kissed skin glowing in the evening sun. “I feel as if I am taking what I do not deserve.”

“How? Surely everyone deserves a bit of happiness.” Jenny’s heart swelled at the thought that this was one of the happiest moments in her recent life.

“I have killed people Jenny. I am one of the murderers that I so enjoy sending to face their justice. How is it that I am able to sit here and enjoy this freedom, how is it that I am free to do as I choose, that I have been gifted the opportunity to spend my days with someone as wonderful as you?” A tear slowly traced it’s way down Vastra’s cheek.

Jenny turned to look at Vastra, she caught the lone tear on her thumb, wiping it away with a gentle touch. She studied the woman’s face, she truly was a site to behold. The way her scales changed shape as they framed her face, the numerous shades of green, from the light hue around her eyes, to the darker shade that covered her magnificent crests, every inch of her was beautiful, and begged to be touched. Jenny took that moment to think on her life, what could have been, what should have been, and through all the torment she had experienced in her short life, surely she deserved some happiness somewhere? It just so happened that this fascinating reptile before her was the one to bring it to her.

“Vastra, you are not a murderer. Not like those horrible men you put away. You weren’t to know. I’m sure if I woke up in a different time surrounded by a species that I didn’t know, I’d probably flip out as well.” She wasn’t sure if she was helping, the slight smile to Vastra’s lips made her feel a little better. “Maybe you need to think on the positive. If it wasn’t for you, there’d be men and women that roam free, men and women that are evil, that kill for pleasure, or jealousy, or simply because they can. Maybe your debt is paid? I think I’d be dead if it wasn’t for you.”

“I like the way you think Jenny Flint, every negative has a positive. If it wasn’t for the Doctor, we’d both be dead I fear.” Vastra was determined to put this issue to rest, unsure as to why her mind decided that now, her first time courting Jenny, was the appropriate time to raise her insecurities. “Let’s not dwell on this any longer. I apologise for my morbid turn of mood, I do not wish for our evening to end on such a sour note.” She laid on her side, resting her head on her hands as she looked down to the deep brown eyes that looked up at her. Her smile grew subconsciously, she truly was a lucky woman.

“I agree.” Jenny took Vastra’s free hand in her own, and laced their fingers together. “So, how is it that you managed to make quiche without me walking into a kitchen full of mess?”

“Ah, well. I have to confess. When you come to open the larder, please do so carefully.” Vastra didn’t entirely disclose the fact that she had managed to sweep all the mess into the cupboard, shutting the door before it had all fallen out again, praying to her goddess that Jenny didn’t discover it until after their picnic.

Jenny laughed, the sweetest laugh Vastra had ever heard. She leant down to place a soft kiss to Jenny’s lips, “Thank you Miss Flint, I have thoroughly enjoyed your company this afternoon.”

Jenny traced her hand over Vastra’s cheek, enjoying the feel of cool lips on her own. “Thank you Madame Vastra,” Jenny replied teasingly, “I too have enjoyed your pleasant company.” She deepened the kiss further, the sun setting in the sky behind them was the perfect frame for their perfect moment, both unwilling for it to end.

****

I was an odd situation to be in, having been courted by someone, to enter the same house once they had said their goodbyes, to then come to be sat having tea and reading by the fire together, before they made their way up stairs to rest in their own quite seperate beds. Jenny thought back to the night before, replaying it in her mind as she and Vastra strolled through the market. She had wanted Vastra, more than she could express in words, but she also wanted to take it as slow as possible, or at least as slow as her body would let her. There was still so much to learn about this woman, she didn’t want to rush it, to spoil it.

“Stop.” Vastra growled, almost primitively.

Jenny’s mind hadn’t quite caught up, she had ended up walking straight into Vastra’s back.

“I can smell him……”

Before Jenny had a chance to ask what or who she could smell, the sight of Vastra running through the streets and turning a corner made her spring into action. “What the bloody ‘ell is going on now!” She muttered to herself as she followed on as fast as she could.

She turned the corner, she could hear her, she couldn’t see her. Not yet, she followed the sound of the snarling lizard, and the feeble whimpers of a man. She was getting closer.

“I will kill you, and I will take pleasure in that. I will do it slowly, and I will drain every drop of blood from your body as you watch on, helpless and fearful for your life. I will eat you bit by bit, limb by limb…”

“Vastra! What in the world are you doin’?” The sight in front of her was frightening, this was not the woman she knew, this was not the woman that she had come to care so much for.

“Stay back Jenny, I will never go back on a promise.” Vastra did not take her eyes off of the man she currently had in her grasp, her hand growing tighter around his neck with every second.

“What promise?” Jenny moved closer, trying to reach over to Vastra to calm her, as she did, she took in the man’s face. She recognised him, but she didn’t know why. She thought hard, trying in vain to work out what was going on. It took only few more seconds to realise, this was the man that had mugged her, all that time ago. It shocked Jenny that she had managed to hunt this man down, purely on the scent that had been left on her that day. “Please, don’t do this.” She pleaded.

“I made a promise.” Vastra glared at the man still, her grip was not quite tight enough to choke, but that was at her own control.

“Make me another one. Please. This isn’t who you are, you aren’t a murderer.” Jenny moved closer still, earning a hiss from Vastra as she did so. She took a step back, a little alarmed at the anger on her face. “Please, promise me you won’t do this.”

“Jenny, this man hurt you. This man took what was yours and he left you to die in the streets.” Vastra’s words were cold and harsh, the rumbling growl that emanated from her chest seemed to grow louder.

“I was hardly left for dead. It was a bruised cheek and a bust lip!” Jenny was determined to talk some sense into the woman. “Put him down, now!” The anger inside Jenny spilled out, she couldn’t let this happen.

Vastra looked questioningly an Jenny, seeing the anger in her eyes seemed to bring her back to her senses. She looked back to the man in her claws, nails digging in to skin as his pale pink hands wrestled with her arm, his eyes pleading her to let him go.

“You are alive because of this woman. You will do well to remember that.” She dropped the man to the floor, looking down at her feet as she did so, a feeling of guilt washed over her as she pressed her back to the wall, slumping to the floor. She put her head in her hands as she tried to calm herself, the rumbling in her chest seeming to slow.

Jenny watched on as the man scrambled to his feet, he stumbled as he back away from the woman now sitting against the wall.

“I’m sorry miss, I didn’t mean to hurt you, forgive me miss.” He choked out as he made his move to run.

“Just go, and I swear if you tell anyone of this, next time I’ll let her do it.” Jenny’s voice was hoarse with anger.

“I won’t, I’m sorry.” He finally found his legs and swiftly made his escape.

Walking up to Vastra, she could see that this woman was regretful. Jenny took a seat on the ground next to her, leaning against the wall in an attempt to catch her breath. “This is not who you are, I know you, and this isn’t you.”

“You don’t know me, Jenny. Not really.” Vastra’s words were harsh and unfeeling. “Maybe this is who I am, what then?” She looked to see Jenny’s reaction, all that she saw was a soft smile, and kind eyes.

Jenny reached out to touch a scaled hand, gloves and veil discarded on the floor in front of them. “You might be slightly over protective, and a little bit hot headed, but you are not a murderer.”

“No, you are right. But it does worry me that he may not be alive if you hadn’t followed me.” She got to her feet and held out a hand for Jenny to take, helping her up from the grimy floor.

“You would have come to your senses eventually. I’m sure of that” Jenny picked up the gloves, handing them to the Silurian, and lifted the veil to her head, not yet covering her face. “I may not know everything there is to know about you, but I know you, I know who you are, in here.” She placed her palm against Vastra’s chest, feeling her rapid heartbeat beneath.

“It seems you may know me better than I know myself then.” Vastra pulled the veil over her face, and began walking for home, not waiting for Jenny to follow.

****

Jenny woke with a start, an unsettled feeling seemed to be itching at her skin. She looked to the clock on the wall, almost eight am. The previous night had been a little uncomfortable. After returning from the market, Vastra had hidden herself away in her study for the rest of the day, and evening, only appearing once to accept the food that Jenny offered. She understood that the woman needed her space, but she felt off. Something wasn’t quite right. The house was too quiet, not that she had expected any noise seeing as Vastra wouldn’t wake for at least another hour yet, but she could always sense her presence. Not today. Something was definitely off.

She dressed and made her way to the kitchen, stoking the fire in the stove to warm the kettle ready for Vastra’s morning cup of tea. She turned to sit at the table to read the morning newspaper that she had picked up from the mat as she passed the front door, noticing an envelope as she did so. The elegant script was undoubtedly Vastra’s. She sat, staring questioningly at the sealed envelope with her name written on the front. She was afraid to open it, but she had to.

_My Dearest Jenny,_

_Please forgive me. Yesterday was a stark warning, I am unsure of whether the warning was intended for you, or for myself, but I have found it quite difficult to explain away my actions. I have decided to take a leave of absence from London. I have not taken this decision lightly, but I fear that if I stay I will have to watch you leave, and that I could not bear._

_I have taken a case offered to me by a Pasha in Egypt, a case that has been cold for a long time. I have seen this as a chance to further my knowledge of the world that I find myself in, and a chance to rid myself of many demons that seem to be pushing me towards a life I do not wish to lead. The streets of London are my home, but they are hideously flawed. A different view may draw out what I seem to be keeping within._

_I hope you do not misunderstand me, you are by far the most precious thing in my life, but I fear I may end up corrupting your pure heart, and that would be a fate worse than any death. I will return home, be sure of that my love, but I do not beg you to stay, I will not beg you to wait._

_I already miss you, and I can not wait to see you again, but I will understand if you are not there when I return._

_Be safe, my Jenny, my heart._

_Vastra_


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is only ONE good thing about lockdown, more time to write. Enjoy.

Jenny read the letter once more; a lone tear travelled towards the pillow as she read through the smeared, salt water stained words, they were starting to hurt a little less each time.

She lifted her head from her pillow, glancing at the clock on the mantle. Not that the time mattered to her much. The clock chimed twice, the sun was full and bright at her bedroom window, two in the afternoon. It had been three days and six hours, and she still couldn’t hate her. She was starting to understand why Vastra had left, she had some issues to work through and Jenny felt as though she may have been impeding her in doing so. So far, she had stayed. Will she still be here when she returns? It was a question she was sure she knew the answer to, she thought about her reasoning. She had nowhere else to go, this had been her home for almost a year, but that is not the reason she would stay. She thought about the woman, now probably hundreds, if not thousands of miles away, (she was still not sure where Egypt was, but once she had shaken herself out of her depressed state, she would find out) She thought about her not being in her life, about never seeing her striking blue eyes again, about never being able to hold her hand, or kiss her lips. The thought ripped through her heart like a knife. She would stay, not because this was her home, but because Vastra was her home.

****

A knock at the door drew Jenny away from her incessant scrubbing of the kitchen floor. Over the last 27 days she had decided that keeping busy was her only relief. She wiped her hands down on her pinafore, straightening her hair as she neared the hallway.

She opened the door to the emptiness of Paternoster Row; there was no one in sight. She could hear a faint giggling a few feet away, “Oi! You little buggers! Keep away from this door or I’ll set the dog on ya!”

It was the third time in as many days. The little urchins having nothing better to do than annoy the residents of the street, and probably the few surrounding roads as well. She was determined to catch them next time. She looked at the time on the grandfather clock, noting that each interruption had been at around the same time of day, give or take half an hour. She had deduced that they had been starting at the same point each morning, and reaching number 13 by midday. Tomorrow, she would stake them out. She had nothing better to do.

The last few days had started to get easier; she thought back to the day that Vastra had declared would be her birthday. She had made the cake, and she had thrown the cake against the kitchen wall. She was still finding crumbs almost a week later. It was easier not to be angry at the insensitive lizard, and more understanding of her reasoning. She couldn’t go around killing and eating whomever she chose, just because they weren’t entirely on the right side of the law. Of course, there were certain people she would have begged for Vastra to eat, they deserved it. But a petty thief? Surely her warning was enough to see him onto the right path.

Jenny had carried on with her training regardless of having no sparring partner. She would often just come to sit down in the dingy training room, practicing her meditation technique. She had never quite understood the point, not before. The fact that someone could just “heal” by sitting with their legs crossed and their eyes closed seemed alien to her, even more alien than the woman that currently ravaged her every conscious thought. She berated herself, just as Vastra would have “I know, she’s no more an alien than I am.”

Another knock at the door broke her from her revelry, just as she was beginning to find solace within the confines of her own mind. “Them little shits are gonna get it.” Twice in one day was the last straw.

She made her way to the front door on swift feet, hoping to catch them in the act. She threw the door open, her hair dishevelled from her mornings training, her eyes red raw from the sweat dripping from her brow, “I said I’d set the dog on y.....”

“Sorry to frighten you miss, just a letter that’s all!” The postman stepped back at the sight of the angry woman, holding the letter at arm’s length as he handed it to her.

“Sorry mate, thank you.” She looked down at the envelope and froze, instantly recognising the script. She held the letter so delicately, like a bomb about to explode in her hands. She closed the door without taking a second look at the postman, the ringing in her ears grew louder, everything around her seemed to disappear into nothingness.

She sat where she had just moments ago stood, on the hallway floor unwilling to take the time to move into the house, to find somewhere more comfortable to sit.

_Twenty-Sixth June ‘87_

_J_

_I have arrived safely and well. I have been received with gratefulness by the nobleman I mentioned in my last letter; the case is one of great pain to him. It will do well to have this solved swiftly._

_I do not know if you are in a position to receive this letter, it is my hope that you are, but I trust it finds you well also._

_B S,M J,M H_

_V_

The words were so few, but they were enough. To know that Vastra was safe and at her intended destination, two full weeks ago, was an ease to Jenny’s wondering mind. She could read between the lines, she hoped that Jenny was still here, and she was. There was a doubt that would creep into Jenny’s mind from time to time; did Vastra leave so that Jenny would go? Is that what she had wanted? The fact that she had taken the time to write, and that she had hoped her letter was received quelled that doubt, if only for a little while. She understood that there would be little of their current situation one would want to commit to pen and paper, it would be a risk to prying eyes. She didn’t need to work too hard to decipher the six letters that signed off the note, _Be safe, my Jenny, my heart,_ those words had been engraved into her memory, and her heart. She noted the fact that a return address had been omitted, there was no way of contacting Vastra. She tried as she had done most nights, to bridge the gap of continents by speaking to her in her mind, wondering how far this link could travel,

“ _I’m here, I’m waiting.”_

She received no response.

“Bloody deaf lizard.” She laughed aloud, her mood having lifted ever so slightly.

****

Jenny spent the next few days a little lighter on her feet, a smile played at her lips at her memories of the two and their short time together as she flitted from one room to another, the spotless house needed no further attention, but it was an excuse to peak into the quite curious life of a Silurian. She paid particular attention to the training room; there was a door that she had never seen behind, a cabinet she had never dared to peak into. The door was locked, she felt in the pocket of her dress for her picks, remembering she had left them quite safely in her bedroom. It was the brief moment of thought that made her realise quite how intrusive she was being, if she was to see what was in this room, she would have been shown. She was determined not to let her curiosity get the better of her, for it did indeed kill the cat.

July had come and gone faster than expected, the full height of summer was upon London, the bustling streets filled, and the parks were overrun with children at play, strolling lovers and new mothers. Jenny took it all in as she sat beneath the oak tree, letting the sun soak through her skin. She wondered what it would be like, to be one of the lovers, holding hands and sharing kisses, not a worry about the world around them. She couldn’t be like that, not with Vastra. They were sure to get lynched if the ever did such a thing. She laughed at the image the thoughts brought to mind, a furious Vastra, with her impeccable use of the English language, managing to talk their aggressors into an apologetic stupor, and if all else failed, out came her claws. An hour had passed; a cool drink was calling her to return home, the basket of lemons begging to be turned into lemonade.

As she walked over the threshold of 13 Paternoster Row, she heard a call from Mrs Cromwell from the house next door.

“Miss Flint, there is a letter for you. I would appreciate if you could ensure you are home for your postal deliveries, I am not your post wallah.”

“Of course, ma’am, ever so sorry.” Jenny took the letter, immediately nodding in thanks to her cantankerous neighbour. It may be time to have a letter box installed.

_Third August ‘87_

_J_

_My work here is almost complete. A few lose ends dangle before me but nothing that should cause a great hindrance._

_My time here has been interesting, they think me a goddess returned from the divine realm! I have not corrected them._

_I hope you are well, remember dear, felines may die, but satisfaction will bring them back. The key is in the hilt, not that you require it._

_B S, M J, M H_

_V_

Jenny smiled, she could hear Vastra’s laugh as she had written the words, _I have not corrected them._ Jenny would have to agree with the sentiment. It’s the third line that had her flummoxed.

“What the bleedin’ ‘ell is she goin’ on about?” She re-read the words, “What key?”

As she carried her basket into the kitchen, she read the letter one more time. Her brow furrowed in thought, the only hilt she could think of was the one on Vastra’s display katana, the one she never used. The others she had taken with her. The lemonade now forgotten, she removed her bonnet as she made her way through the house and into the study, she reached around the desk and released the lever allowing the door to the training room to open.

She took the sword in hand, carefully removing it from its secure perch, and examining the hilt. She took her time to admire the craftsmanship, she could understand why this had never been the weapon of choice on Vastra’s outings. She had only ever seen her use her weapons once, their training routine had not progressed enough for the use of an item quite capable of decapitation with one swift flick. She took in the intricacy of the decorated handle, red silk that was wrapped so tightly and delicately over the black glossed wood, if she didn’t know any better she would have thought it to be made of a precious stone, the dark wood had been smoothed and polished enough to be able to see her own reflection. As she took the sword in hand, as if ready to duel, she felt her thumb hit against a slight protrusion on an otherwise smooth handle. As she pressed down harder, she felt a click, and the sound of something hitting the floor at her feet.

“She’s a sneaky one.” She bent down to pick up the object, being careful to replace the Katana before she did so. A key. She looked to the door to her left, quite perplexed as to how Vastra would know of her curiosity. Walking over the door with trepidation, she looked about her as if she felt as though she was being watched. “If she’s got someone spyin’ on me, I’ll have her guts for garters.”

She reached over to the door, key in hand, and turned it slowly in the lock. The satisfying click hit her ears. She pushed the door open, her eyes straining to see against the dark. She felt around for a gas lamp, finding one on the wall as she furthered into the room. The sight that met her left her somewhat confused.

“A laboratory, why in the name of holy hell does she have laboratory?” She moved around the room with apprehension, careful not to disturb any of the jars or contraptions, her eyes landed on the figure at the end of the room. A mannequin stood centre stage; her eyes were drawn to it. She stepped closer, close enough to touch. It was made of a material she had never seen before, like velvet, but as hard as steel. It hugged the curves of the mannequin, like a second skin. The dark grey colour reminded her of Vastra’s eyes, eyes that would cloud over with her change in mood. The red sash at the waist, coupled with the long waistcoat draped over the shoulders made it look almost regal. The one thing that struck her about it, was the gash that was torn into the front of the garment, clean through the solid material. She ran her fingers delicately over the cut; her only thought was that of the owner, how much damage would a slash through this tough armour cause to the flesh beneath? The thought made a shiver creep up her spine. She no longer felt inquisitive, she felt as if she was being invasive, despite the fact that Vastra’s words were an invitation. She left as delicately as she had entered, locking the door behind her, determined to think no more of the wearer of the beautiful garment.

****

Jenny heard the sound of the letter box, a new sound that she had come to get used to over the last few weeks, she would have to explain to Vastra the reason for the new door. She had been collecting Vastra’s mail, unopened and unimportant, entirely sure that the contents within would be various requests for the Veiled Detective. The Yard had been informed of her departure, and have left well alone since. The unexpected delivery at this late hour, was quite unusual.

_Twenty-Sixth August ‘87_

_J_

_Case solved. A rather brutal affair, but solved none the less._

_I feel I have quite fulfilled my intended assignments, both in business and in personal circumstance._

_Steady your mind my dear, for it is like water. When it is turbulent it is difficult to see, when it is tranquil, all becomes clear._

_B S, M J , M H_

The letter was dated thirteen days ago. Jenny was sure she would already be on her return journey by now. She sat in front of the warm hearth in the drawing room, she began to meditate, or what she believed to be the closest thing to. She cleared her mind as best she could, the settling feeling beginning to return, it had not been there since the day Vastra had left, but the knowledge that she had at least finished with the case she had initially ventured out there for, meant she would surely be home soon. As she did every night, she spoke to her,

_“I’m here, I’m waiting.”_

She did not wait for the reply, it never came. Until now,

_I know my love, I am home._


	20. Chapter 20

The wet stone cobbles shone in the flickering gaslight, the rain came down in sheets as the night air filled with petrichor. A stark contrast to the oppressive, yet wholly appreciated, heat of the African continent.

She stepped out of the carriage, watching as the juvenile ape she had tasked with delivering her final letter scurried back into the night. She had hoped to see someone at the door to accept it, but on seeing the darkness of the doorway remain, the unease settled in her abdomen. She had been wrong. Her senses have been deceived. Her eyes flashed to the light seeping through the front window of her home on Paternoster Row, the heavy curtains unable to trap the entirety of it, but if there is light, there must be someone home. Nearing the front door, she stood perplexed at the blue wooded intrusion; it seemed to remind her of a very good friend. A flash of confusion passed as she momentarily thought she had arrived at the incorrect address, when the words she had felt each night, although only as an essence of hope within her, finally reached her mind;

_I’m here, I’m waiting_

She felt a lump at her throat, how she had missed that soft voice, as it caressed her conscious thought she was determined to relish in it, but the urge to see her was pulling her in.

“ _I know my love, I am home”_

She realised, she was quite without a proper means of entry. She removed her gloves, and raised a fist to knock delicately at the door, but before it had time to connect, the soft click of the latch sounded, the door inched open to reveal those deep brown eyes, peering from within.

“Well my dear, are you going to let me in? The weather is frightfully awful.”

Before she could comprehend what was happening, the door flew open fully, she watched as a fist came hurtling towards her, grabbing at the cape at her chest, pulling her quite forcefully over the threshold. The deafening bang of the door slamming behind her seemed to confuse her further, but the warm body, hot as a furnace, now pressed flush against her with the unrelenting balled fist grabbing at her cloak, pulled her attention back to the vision now mere inches from her. Flushed cheeks, rose lips, brunette hair framing the beautiful face, those eyes that seemed to portray a thousand feelings. She reached a hand up to caress the soft skin that she had dreamt about since the moment she had left, and removed her veil with the other.

“I love you, Jenny Flint.” She moved in closer, with trepidation, looking deeply into her mesmerising eyes, lips now close enough to touch with her own, but she waited, breath hitching in anticipation as seconds seemed like hours. She needed Jenny to close the distance, and she needed her to do it quickly, before she combusted from within. She could feel her, smell her, taste her on her tongue. The faintest touch of lips left her aching for more. She would go back on her word, she said she would not beg, but she couldn’t help herself.

_Please, I have missed you so._

The fury came all at once, lips crashed together in an unrelenting dance, teeth grazing against flesh, tongues fighting for dominance. Gasping breaths intertwined as the sound of pure pleasure filled the air, she felt her lovers hand grip at her neck, pulling her in further than was physically possible, the hot palm rising to caress her crests sent an apocalypse of feelings through her very bones. She reciprocated, grasping at Jenny’s hair, the delicate silken locks through her fingers a contrast to the feral claws that pulled at strands, grazing against her scalp. The pressure of the warm wet tongue against her own coupled with the sharp teeth biting at her made her unsteady on her feet.

“I love you too, you infuriating lizard.” Jenny breathed out between kisses. She felt Vastra’s hands at her hips as she was thrust vigorously against the hallway wall, the force making a hung frame fall quite unceremoniously to the floor with a crash. The broken glass went ignored by both, as Vastra’s mouth trailed kissed along the pink supple flesh of Jenny’s neck, coming to rest at the collar of her dress. Vastra’s hand move up her body, tracing the curve or her hip, her waist, her breast, then clutching at the material restricting her further access, revealing the perfect amount of flesh to sink her teeth into. Jenny turned her head to allow uninhibited access to as much of her as she wanted; the moan that escaped her lips was a vocalisation of the most pleasurable pain she had ever experienced. She pulled at Vastra’s hips; the pressure against her own was intoxicating, but not enough.

Vastra’s Silurian intuition took note of her partners frustration, she moved her leg to rest between Jenny’s trembling thighs, the move seemed to quell Jenny’s want just a little, as she pulled at her hips, and pushed into them at the same time, the sounds that hit her ears would be considered deplorable in any other situation.

“If you don’t stop soon I think I’m going to be finished before we’ve even started.” The voice came in whispers against Vastra’s ear. Jenny scratched at the cloth covering Vastra’s back willing it to fade into nothingness so she could feel her icy skin, her grip tightened with every slow thrust of Vastra’s hips.

“Ha, my love if you think I will ever be finished with you, you are very much mistaken.” She reached her hands to the back of Jenny’s thighs, lifting her from her feet. She felt Jenny’s strong legs grip around her waist, locking her ankles behind her back. Kisses slowed, if only for a moment, in an effort to portray the fact that this was not just lust, “Can I....”

Jenny’s reply came before Vastra had managed to finish the question, “God, please do or we will end up on this floor.”

“I fear your ‘God’ should not bear witness, he may disapprove.” Vastra’s sly grin was a promise of what was to come as she ascended the stairs to her bedroom, Jenny held tightly in her arms.

****

Jenny stood, a little unsure of herself. This moment had been played over in her mind on numerous occasions, nights when sleep was hard to find, mornings when she craved the feeling of arms around her, and even on the odd occasion she found herself unnecessarily dusting the opulent sculptures that were housed in Vastra’s solarium. She had played out every step, every kiss, and every word, over and over again. In her fantasies, she was bold, she was dominant and submissive all at once, she was sure of her touch and confident with her kisses. It had brought her over the edge on more than one occasion. Yet here she stood, the object of her desire looking at her with all the love she was sure existed in the world, and she didn’t know what to do.

Vastra could sense her companion’s unease as she waited for her to move towards her. The imposing four poster bed in her peripheral vision was tempting her to take control, but this moment wasn’t about control. She took Jenny’s hands in her own as she stepped closer, entwining their fingers. She spoke softly, as she lifted the hands to her lips and brushed a soft kiss over each, “Do you know what day it is?”

Jenny smiled as she looked down at their joined hands; the contrast in colours seemed to stir something deep below. “Of course I do ma’am, a year since the day you saved me.”

Vastra raised an eye ridge at the term, unsure if she was entirely comfortable with Jenny still using it after all this time, but for some reason she rather liked it, in an immoral sort of way. “No my love, it was the day _you_ saved _me_.”

A hand to Jenny’s chin brought their lips together; the delicate touch spurred her on. She reached over to Vastra’s collar, loosening the silk tie that held her cape, letting it fall to the floor. Her trembling fingers struggled with the stiff buttons at the front of her dress, she gave an inward cheer as each one came lose, revealing the perfect emerald skin beneath. She could feel the vibrations of the Silurian purr beneath her fingertips. Vastra’s hands came to rest once more at Jenny’s hips, as her lips continued their ministration on her sensitive neck, allowing Jenny free rein to undress her as she pleased. Jenny didn’t want it to stop, but she had to.

“Wait,” She whispered, “Please, let me see you.” She met Vastra’s eyes with her own, as she continued unbuttoning the overly concealing material. “Help me get this thing off or we’ll be here all night.”

“And that would be a bad thing?” Vastra smiled, as she followed Jenny’s command, albeit in a more unconventional way. She pulled at the material, just enough to pull each button from its thread as they fell to the floor at their feet.

“Well, ‘spose that’s one way to do it.” Jenny smiled as she reached up to Vastra’s shoulders, her hands now confident in their task. She pulled at the collar, revealing the fascinating shades of jade beneath, bare shoulders now captivated Jenny’s attention. They were muscular and strong, yet entirely feminine. She pulled the dress lower, as Vastra removed her arms from the sleeves. The top of her dress came to rest at her hips as Jenny realised she wasn’t wearing a corset. She couldn’t help but gasp at the vision before her, completely in awe of the striking woman that held her focus. It was so far from what she had imagined, and so much more. Emerald green faded into amber and gold, the curve of her breasts was not dissimilar to her own, but as her hands trailed over the curve she could feel the muscle beneath was much firmer. She traced the line of darker scales that started at each side of her neck, following the contours of her body as they continued, like a frame around a priceless artwork.

“Beautiful.” It was the only word Jenny was able to form, completely incapable of building coherent sentences.

“I feel I am at a slight disadvantage.” Vastra said as she pressed herself into Jenny’s still fully clothed torso, the feel of the coarse cotton on her skin teasing her with the fact that the thin material still separated them. Her hands griped at the back of Jenny’s gown, reaching for the fastening at the base of her neck. Jenny’s lips had found her collar bone, the hot flesh burned against her own, the contrast against her cool skin was bliss. Frustration was starting to build within her, her impatience was notable as she tugged at Jenny’s dress, pushing it down to the floor as she succumbed to the lips beckoning her back. Her hands painted the picture that her eyes were yet to see. She could feel every inch of her was gloriously striking.

They found their way to the edge of the bed, hands exploring as lips took as much as was given. Jenny felt the mattress hit the back of her legs as they came to stand beside the four-poster. Pausing for a moment, she sat on the bed as she took Vastra’s hand in hers, pulling her to rest on top of her as she reclined onto her back. Vastra took this moment of control to stand back up to fully admire the woman currently giving herself to her.

“You are quite simply the most exquisite thing I have ever seen.” Her hand reached out to touch, committing each and every detail to memory. The more she looked and the more she touched, the more she craved like an addict. She loved how Jenny blushed at her words.

Jenny reached up, wrapping her arms around the Silurian's waist, pulling her back down. The weight of her body resting against her own caused the incessant throbbing between her thighs to build even further.

“I’m not quite sure I know....”

“It’s ok my love, I am sure you have gathered that this is quite new to me as well. Just follow what’s in here....” She placed a hand over Jenny’s heart, “And here.” She moved her hand to Jenny’s temple, pressing their foreheads together. The shockwave of emotion coursed through them simultaneously.

“I can feel you....” Jenny breathed out raggedly, the sensation overwhelmed her, “It’s like everything, all at once.”

“That is you, Jenny. To me, you _are_ everything.” She kissed her lover with every ounce of want she felt building in her. She could feel Jenny too, she could feel her craving for more, she could feel how close she already was. She echoed the position she had taken the day they had first kissed in the training room, their legs entwined, causing pressure where it was needed the most. Jenny’s moans spurred her on as she created a rhythm between them. Jenny would rise to meet her, the warmth and wetness of Jenny’s core now seeping through her underwear. In one swift movement Vastra managed to remove the remaining garments from both of them with a speed she did not know was possible, returning to her previous position before Jenny had a chance to miss the contact.

_I need more_

She looked into Jenny’s eyes as she heard the words, her own desire grew tenfold. Her expedition began at Jenny’s supple breasts, teasing the flesh, mesmerised by the way it responded to her touch, she felt a spike in Jenny’s want, she felt her grow warmer and wetter. She kissed her way down her neck, using her extraordinary tongue to take over from her hand, it was at this point she would conclude that this was the very reason she and her race had been gifted with such superior biological appendages. The taste of Jenny’s skin was incomparable to anything else, it was fast becoming her favourite. Her hand came to rest at Jenny’s thigh, she stroked and grasped at every inch, she felt Jenny catch her breath as she closed in on her final destination.

“Are you sure my love?” She could feel it, but she needed to hear it.

As if to answer her lover, Jenny looked into Vastra’s eyes as she brought her own hand down to rest on top of Vastra’s, taking control as she guided her to where she needed her most. She bit down on Vastra’s bottom lip as the cool fingers came into contact with warm silken flesh, eliciting a guttural moan from somewhere deep within.

“Does that answer your question,” Jenny breathed out, pulling at Vastra’s hips, craving the friction and enjoying the way Vastra’s fingers coaxed her closer and closer. As she wrapped a leg around Vastra waist, she could feel the purring grow more fierce, deeper and louder, like distant rolling thunder. She could feel it vibrate through her whole body, she had never quite imagined how intense this would be, how she felt utterly at her mercy, and willingly so. She wanted to feel Vastra too, the hand that was currently clawing at the flesh of Vastra’s backside found its way around to the soft scales at her pelvis, her fingers gliding through the folds, she found it was not at all dissimilar to herself.

Vastra felt a growl escape from deep within, she bit at the supple flesh where Jenny’s neck met her shoulders in an attempt to quieten the involuntary primal act. She could feel Jenny was close, she could feel it run through her like the heat of the sun as it rose in the ancient dawn. She pushed two fingers inside her lover, the cry that emanated from Jenny was wonderful. Vastra was momentarily frozen as Jenny echoed her actions; the warmth of Jenny’s fingers inside her was a pleasurable shock.

They mirrored each other, moving in synchronisation. Teeth bit at lips as the sound of ragged breaths filled the air around them, bodies so close that they could be confused to be one, was it not for the contrasting colours. Vastra’s fingers moved inside Jenny as if they were beckoning her release, each one alternating their movement within. She could feel herself grow closer as Jenny matched her, she could feel both of them, climbing further. She felt Jenny’s back arch and her breath still, as she conveyed the words,

_Vastra, I love you_

It could barely be heard above the cries, the feral growls, as they both reached the apex together, lingering there for longer than was decent. Hands grasped at flesh, clinging to each other unwilling to part, bodies rigid as muscles contracted, the release both had craved now upon them.

“I love you too, my darling Jenny.”

Movements slowed as lazy kisses replaced the hungry, desperate actions of moments before. Vastra laid her head against Jenny’s chest, listening to the rapid heartbeat as it pounded at her ears, the soft warm fingers lazily stroking her crests lulled her into a peaceful tranquillity.

“I missed you,” Jenny whispered, “If you ever disappear like that again I’ll....”

“If this is the greeting I get when I return I am quite likely to do it again.” Vastra teased. “Please, carry on, what will you do?”

“I’ll follow you and drag you back home.” Jenny was entirely serious. Just as they were enjoying the moment of stillness, the unmistakable sound of an empty stomach rumbled through the room, followed by Jenny’s bashful giggle.

“Did you skip supper my love?” Vastra’s concern was evident in her words.

“I didn’t have much of a desire for food,” Jenny mused, “But it seems....” She used all of her strength to flip their positions, Vastra now on her back and Jenny poised above her like a cat ready to pounce, a sinful look in her eyes, “I have my appetite back.”


	21. Chapter 21

The morning sun forced its way through the drawn curtains, but this isn’t what stirred Jenny from her slumber.

“One......Two......Three.....”

Each word was punctuated by a soft, cool kiss to her skin. Her shoulder, her back, her neck,

“Eight....Nine.....Ten.....”

Her mind had not yet rid itself of the night’s sleep, the counting Silurian behind her was confusing her even further.

“Seventeen.....Eighteen.....Nineteen...”

She felt the arms around her waist move to turn her onto her back, she complied, her reward was the fierce blue eyes that met hers, and the searing kiss to her lips.

“Twenty.”

“Mmmm. That was a nice way to wake up.” Jenny stretched in an attempt to rid herself of the ache in her muscles. “Just curious, why were you countin’?” She added lazily with a yawn.

“One kiss for each of your years. Happy Birthday my love.” Vastra nuzzled into Jenny’s neck, relishing in the warmth of her companion, already regretting having left the bed in the first place. “Here, I made you breakfast, you must be famished.” Her sly grin was not lost on Jenny.

“I could get used to this,” Jenny moved herself into a sitting position, attempting to retain her modesty by pulling the bed sheet with her, “Thank you.” She smiled up at Vastra, patting the bed to her side for her to join her. She took in the vision beside her, it was always a novelty to see her dressed in anything other than her usual tailored ladies dresses, or even her training outfit, but to see her dressed in a simple shirt that came to mid thigh and leaving her shoulders bare was a temptation she wasn’t sure she could resist. She looked down at the tray on her lap, quite impressed by Vastra’s attempt at scrambled eggs and toasted bread. The freshly squeezed orange juice was a treat in itself, but she was still sure that she would trade it all for even just one kiss with the woman by her side.

“Eat, I’m not going anywhere.” She hadn’t read her thoughts, she didn’t need to. The wandering brown eyes spoke volumes.

Jenny tucked in to her breakfast, her manners slowly fading as she realised just how hungry she was. She looked at the clock, entirely out of habit, but on seeing the hands nearing midday, she coughed slightly on a crumb of toast as she gasped at the late hour. “Why didn’t you wake me earlier?!”

“You were sleeping! You look so innocent when you sleep. I know better of course.” Vastra slipped a hand under the bed sheet and ran it across Jenny’s bare thigh, dangerously close to the point of no return. “Besides, the sun had already started to rise before sleep came to us, and you needed your rest. It’s Saturday, and it’s your Birthday, take a day off once in a while.” She finished off her argument with a firm grasp of the flesh under her fingertips.

“Yes, ma’am.” Jenny teased, the salute that accompanied her comment earned herself a soft giggle from her bed mate.

As Vastra removed the tray from Jenny’s lap, content that she had now refuelled herself from her night’s exertion, Jenny grabbed the glass of orange juice, downing every drop in four gulps. She reached over Vastra’s shoulder to place the glass on the nightstand, their faces now millimetres apart. Vastra closed the distance, their lips connecting with an untameable fire, as the glass dropped to the floor shattering completely.

“Hmmm.... I think I am starting to rather like orange juice.” Vastra reflected aloud, tasting the sweet, tangy flavour on Jenny’s tongue, “although, there is one other nectar that I am convinced will never be bested...”

Jenny looked at Vastra questioningly, her eyes widened in realisation as she watched her disappear under the bed sheets.

****

“Child murderers.”

“Definitely. And molesters.” Jenny added. “You can string them up by their bollocks for all I care.” Jenny’s hand ran across the page, taking displeasure in the words that flowed from her pen.

“What about murder that does not involve a child?” Vastra questioned as she reclined on her chair, feet resting upon the desk beside Jenny as she wrote.

“Depends.”

“On what?” Vastra was curious to hear her conditions.

“Well, if it’s just one, that could have been an accident, or self defence, or mercy even. Two, that’s starting to get suspicious. Three or more, you got yourself a serial killer.” Jenny concluded.

“Sounds logical enough.” Vastra was in awe of Jenny’s quite remarkable way of thinking. It had taken a little over a month into her time in Egypt to relinquish her guilt for her actions, reasoning that Jenny was right, the hundreds of cases she had solved for the intellectually challenged officers at Scotland Yard more than made up for her past transgressions. A list of criminal acts that would warrant the use of her animalistic qualities was unnecessary, but Jenny had somehow felt it would provide some clarity on the matter.

“And ONLY if the useless feckers at the station can’t get their hands on them.” Jenny handed the paper over to Vastra. “Sign it.”

“My dear, this is entirely superfluous.” Vastra sighed. "What is a fecker?" She added, having not heard the word before. 

“I know, but it’ll make me feel better. You shouldn’t feel guilty about takin’ the rubbish out so to speak.” Jenny reasoned, she knew herself that Vastra was no killer, but she also knew that the streets of London were riddled with cockroaches that could do with a taste of their own medicine, Vastra might as well be the one to administer it. "Irish for......a not nice person."

"There.” Just as she was about to hand the signed paper back to Jenny, she noticed the last line had said _Jenny’s murderer._ The thought sent a cold shiver through her. She did not need permission, she would rip the very heart from his chest with her teeth, and enjoy every second. It also did not need to be on the list, she wouldn’t allow anything to happen to Jenny, she would make it her life’s purpose. “Jenny my dear, I do hope you have continued with your training?”

“Of course, couldn’t you tell?” She winked at Vastra, reminding her of the tight hold she had used on her only a few hours earlier. Vastra’s blush was testament to the fact that she knew quite well to what she was referring.

The slightly frazzled Silurian cleared her throat in a vocal attempt to bring her mind back to the present. “Meet me downstairs, in five minutes.”

****

As Jenny neared the bottom of the stairs, she realised the door to Vastra's laboratory was wide open.

_In here_

She followed the command, realising why Vastra hadn’t spoken to her aloud when the vision of the very distracted woman came into view, she was fiddling with some odd contraption, a turnscrew held between her teeth while both hands were otherwise occupied. Jenny felt a little unease at entering the room, remembering the words that Vastra had written in her letter, she knew she had been curious, but how, she did not know.

“I have a gift for you.” Vastra said as she set down her obscure creation. She walked over to a cabinet set aside from the rest of the room, and brought out a long box.

“My birthday was three days ago. You already gave me a present.” Jenny’s thoughts went back to the Egyptian gold bangle that looked far too expensive to wear about the streets of London, that would be asking for trouble.

“I think it’s time we take your training a little further.” She opened the wooden case, revealing a set of three Katanas similar to her own. The timing felt right. After seeing Jenny’s name on the list of crimes punishable by Silurian, her first task would be to ensure that she would be trained to defend herself against the malevolence that plagued this time. She had bought them only a few weeks before she had left for Egypt, and already regretted waiting as long as she had for the training to begin.

“They’re beautiful, thank you.” Jenny’s voice came out in a whisper as she gazed over the exquisite craftsmanship. They were black as pitch, and as stunningly decorated as Vastra’s own. She pulled the smallest one out of the box, not entirely trusting herself with the largest of the three just yet, although unbeknownst to her, each was as dangerous as the other. She removed the blade from its sheath, and was startled by the way it flashed as it reflected the dim light of the gas lamps.

“Be cautious my love, they are sharp.” She placed a hand onto Jenny’s, steadying the slight quiver of trepidation that had appeared after seeing the blade. “We will start tomorrow.”

“You best go easy on me!” She knew full well that she would be safer in a room with this lizard-woman and her swords than she would be anywhere else in the world. “Umm, while we’re here,” She spoke with a little unease, “How did you know?”

“Know what?” Vastra questioned, placing the case of Katana’s safely onto the table top.

“The key. Why did you tell me where the key to this room was?” Maybe she should have phrased her first question a little differently, the mind of a detective would have surely worked out that she was in fact correct in her suspicions after that admittance.

“My dear. Every time you have entered the training room your eyes are drawn to this door. It is the first thing you look at, even before me. It is only human, and I might add, Silurian, to be curious of what you do not know. Every locked door is a question. You have seen every other room in this house but this one. Yet I know that, despite your curious nature, you would not pry. I knew at some point you would be tempted, I know you Jenny Flint, you are inquisitive by nature. I feel your curiosity is the very reason you stayed.” Vastra had moved to stand in front of Jenny, taking her hands in her own, she ran her thumbs across the smooth warm skin, as she looked into her eyes “I have nothing to hide from you, I was just as curious as you, as to how long it would take for you to ask.”

“I nearly did. Pry that is.” Jenny was a little embarrassed at her admittance.

“But you didn’t.” Vastra stated. “It is a room for my experimental work. There are things in here that would perplex the most intelligent of beings. Most of what you see has been taken from my suspended animation chamber, and transformed into something a little more useful.” She picked up an object from the bench, handing it to Jenny.

“What does it do?” She looked at the object, copper wire and cogs bound together in some kind of metal chainmail; she had never seen anything like it.

“I’m not sure it does anything at present, but it does look rather impressive, don’t you think?” Vastra questioned Jenny excitedly.

Her animated childlike demeanour was one of the many things Jenny had fallen in love with. Vastra always seemed to come across as demure and proper, until something excited her. She watched on as she fiddled with the levers and switches of the object that Jenny was holding, it whirred and chirped, and flashed and flickered, but it did nothing of any consequence. Her vivid blue eyes were wild with curiosity, her smile was wide and constant.

“I love you.” Jenny laughed out, totally disinterested in the device.

Vastra saw the world in Jenny’s eyes as she took in her statement. Words are one thing, but when you can see those words, feel them, just in the way someone looks at you, there is no denying their truth. “I love you. I only regret that it has taken this long for me to confess.”

“Well if you hadn’t buggered off without even saying goodbye then maybe you could have.” Jenny raised an eyebrow as she crossed her arms over her chest. She was taunting Vastra in jest, she had forgiven her the moment she had walked back through to door, but she didn’t want to let her get away with it too lightly.

“I will spend my life making it up to you my dear.” She stepped closer to Jenny, resting her hands on her hips possessively as she moved to place biting kisses at her neck.

Just as Jenny was about to reciprocate, a rapid knock at the front door interrupted their moment. The snarl that emanated from Vastra’s throat did nothing to help Jenny raise the strength to remove herself from the firm grasp to see to the visitor.

“Let it go unanswered.” The demand was forceful, as where the hands that clawed at Jenny’s clothes.

Jenny complied, wholly agreeing. Yet the incessant knocking did not desist. “Ma’am, I think I should answer it, might be the inspector. Besides, if we don’t get back to doin’ some actual paid work we might both end up on the streets.”

“I fear you are quite right.” Vastra relinquished her hold, placing one last chaste kiss to Jenny’s lips. “If it is anyone other than the inspector, please add him to your list.”

****

“Madame, I trust you enjoyed your trip?” Inspector Aberline’s question did not come across as sincere as he had hoped.

“Quite. Now, what can I do for you?” Vastra’s impatience was evident, she was beginning to regret her choice of career. A once welcome distraction now felt like an imposition.

“A friend of mine, up the river. He’s got a case on his hands that won’t go away. Asked if I could pay him a visit and see if I could shed some light on the matter, but after hearing the details I thought it might be up your street so to speak.” He handed the file to Jenny, who in turn handed it to Vastra. He missed the glare that was sent his way.

Jenny was little put out by this action considering Vastra was sat right in front of him, and therefore, closer. It reminded her that she was still, to all outsiders, merely a chamber maid and an occasional assistant to the famous Veiled Detective. How he would blush if he knew otherwise.

Vastra skimmed through the pages of notes and photographs, as the inspector had deduced, it was very intriguing. “Where is ‘up the river’ inspector?”

“Buckinghamshire. A days travel, a little town called Marlow.” Aberline was tentative in his answer, unsure of how the Madame would feel about travelling so soon after returning from her previous trip.

Vastra sighed. “We will take it. Let your friend know to expect our arrival on Monday.” A few more days at home were needed, she had decided that they would travel on Friday, and spend the weekend perusing the file and acquainting themselves with their surroundings.

“Right you are ma’am. Here’s the address of a little lodging establishment, not as opulent as you are probably used to, but clean and comfortable all the same.” He stood, donning his hat, “I won’t send any more cases your way for now, I’m sure this will take up enough time.” He turned to leave the room, looking back at Jenny as if to ask if she was going to see him to the door. She rolled her eyes and followed on, slamming the door behind his back with a little more fervour than she had intended, or possibly not enough.

“I have a feeling we’re going to enjoy our little holiday.” Vastra smiled at Jenny as she re-entered the room.

“You want me to come with you?” Jenny questioned, a little excited at the prospect.

“Of course,” she was a little perplexed by the question, “Did I not say that _we_ would take the case?”

“That you did ma’am. I best get packing then.” Jenny was about to leave the room, when she felt Vastra’s hand take her own. How she always managed to move so swiftly and silently always surprised her.

“Jenny, you are not my maid. If it were up to me I would tell the world who you really are. I fear your past is testament to the obstinate and closed-minded humans that traverse this planet. I do not want to bring unnecessary harm to you, be it physical or otherwise. You do not need to call me ma’am, unless we are in the company of anyone you are uncomfortable with knowing the truth.” Vastra was adamant to kick the habit from Jenny.

“I know. See it as more of a term of endearment. Or a pet name.” Jenny smiled.

“I am not your pet, little ape.” She teased with a smile, “Now, off to pack or we will have no time to ourselves before we need to leave.”

“Yes ma’am.” She finished with a curtsey as she made her way to the stairs, regretting it instantly as she now realised she was prey, a nervous giggle escaped as she attempted to back away.

“You better run little ape.”


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The case in this chapter is based on the short story by Sir Doyle, The Adventure of the Speckled Band. It is not of my own creation, aside from a few choice alterations that could be argued to be the true accounting of the circumstances ; )

Vastra ran her hands through the soft curls that had fallen loose from Jenny’s bun as she lay fast asleep, her head resting in her lap. The carriage ride had been generally pleasing, but as they neared the Chiltern Hills, the roads became a little rougher which tended to rattle the wheels a little more fiercely. She was surprised that this hadn’t woken the sleeping form resting so peacefully, but pleased all the same. She gazed at nothing in particular through the carriage window, the serene landscape of rolling hills and crop laden fields would have been a pleasant change of scenery, if it wasn’t for the fact that she had only returned to their home on Paternoster Row a week since and already missed it dearly. London was a city with many faults, but it was her home.

They were nearing on their sixth hour of travel, and by her calculations they would arrive at their destination imminently. Granted, taking the train would have cut their journey time significantly, but the privacy of a personal carriage was worth the mild discomfort.

“Jenny my dear, we have almost arrived.” She spoke softly, as not to startle her awake. There is nothing worse than an abrupt end to a dreamful sleep. She ran her hands across the fair skin of Jenny’s cheek, a last touch before she slipped on her gloves. She continued to stroke at her forehead, the frown that had settled on Jenny’s face worried her slightly.

“I hate those gloves.” Jenny spoke sleepily as she lifted her head from the comfortable pillow that was Vastra’s thighs.

“As do I, but it is a must unless I am inclined to be the talk of the town.” She reasoned.

“The Veiled Lady with the green fingers.” Jenny laughed, “That would be quite the topic.”

“Indeed. Are you well rested my love?” Vastra smiled at the slightly dishevelled looking woman to her side, it was an endearing sight.

“I think that’s the most sleep I’ve had all week.” Vastra had indeed kept her busier than usual, with one thing and another.

“Is that a complaint?” Vastra new very well it wasn’t, but she couldn’t help but tease.

“Never.” Jenny reached over for a lingering kiss, just as the carriage ground to a halt. “I think we’re here.”

****

“Well, it is rather quaint.” Vastra surmised as she looked about the room.

“Pokey you mean.” Jenny retorted. The Riverside Inn was as the inspector had promised, clean. But comfortable? It was arguable. The two single beds at either side of the room were the only items of furniture in the room, the dull wallpaper lining the walls begged to be renewed, the edges were starting to peel back on themselves as if they were attempting to escape the dreary place. There was only one redeeming feature, the view of the river and the beautifully designed footbridge that joined the south of the town to the north. It was hard to believe that this was the same river that flowed through London, the brown muddy water that filled the air with a hideous stench was a stark contrast to the clear crystalline water that flowed peacefully, sparkling as it reflected the sun’s rays off of its surface.

“Says the one who used to take up home in a doorway.” Vastra was entirely oblivious to the tactlessness of her comment as she placed her bag on the bed furthest into the room.

Jenny was a little taken aback by the statement, “Do you think that was by choice?” She managed to get out past the lump in her throat. Tears stung at her eyes as the memories she had trained herself to forget started to creep back. “That was insensitive.” She turned to exit the room, leaving the perplexed lizard to dwell on her actions.

Jenny took her moment of solitude to familiarise herself with the village, she walked through the quiet streets, taking in the sites. She could tell her presence there was noted by the locals, visitors may not have been too common she concluded as each person she passed seemed to stare at her for a little longer than she was comfortable with. She laughed internally as she thought of the gawps they will be receiving when the Great Veiled Detective makes her presence known. She doubted they would be familiar with her work, unlike the inhabitants of London, but she had an air about her that would make people stop and look. She thought back to the woman that now sat alone in the dingy room, hoping that she hadn’t been too harsh. The words had cut like knife, but the fact that she was still tired from travel and a little hungry probably made the wound a little deeper than it should have been.

She came across a florist cart, the sweet smell of jasmine and rose filled the air, she settled that this would probably be the only way that she could brighten their room, and something was needed if this was to be their home for the next few days at least. With flowers in hand, she made it her next mission to find them both something to eat.

****

Jenny entered the room, attempting to ignore its current inhabitant. She had managed to procure a vase from the kitchen, having been unable to find Mrs Croft, the scatty land lady. She went to the sink to fill it, and chanced a glance at the other side of the room.

“I’m sorry my love. I realise the insensitive nature of my words, it was not intended.” Vastra was sat atop the bed, legs crossed as she would do when meditating. Her eyes showed the sincerity of her words, “I am quite aware that your situation when we met was not out of choice.”

“Good. I’m glad you realised that.” She replied sarcastically. “Apology accepted.” She placed the vase of flowers on the windowsill, appreciating the lift in mood that it brought to the room. As she sat on the bed next to Vastra, she passed her a wrapped parcel. “Eat.”

“What is it?” Vastra inspected the contents of the paper, the beige-ness of it did nothing for her appetite.

“Bacon Badger.” Jenny smirked, waiting for her reaction.

“Badger?! The barbarians.” She turned her nose up, but didn’t want to seem ungrateful. “Thank you for the thought but I think I must draw the line somewhere.”

“It’s not actual badger,” Jenny explained through laughs. “It’s beef and bacon, with potatoes all wrapped in pastry.” She took the package from Vastra’s lap, and gave her the one that she had actually intended for her to eat. “Don’t worry, this is your one.” She was sure she would appreciate the beef liver and black pudding a little more. “Although, I do think you need to get used to eating proper food, it’ll start getting a bit suspicious if I’m off to the butchers every day with nowhere to cook.” Jenny argued.

“I’ll try it.” Vastra took a small bite, it was unnecessarily chewy, “It tastes like feet.”

“Feet? How many feet have you eaten....actually, don’t answer that.” Jenny decided she didn’t really care to hear the answer.

“Why is it that you apes have to turn something completely edible and nutritious into something that closely resembles an old slipper? Two animals had to die for that abomination.” Vastra knew she was behaving like a petulant child, her mood had dropped significantly since arriving, she was almost tempted to pack up and return home. The room was cold, dark and unfeeling, a contrast to the comfort she was used to.

“Oi, Miss Grumpy. Eat your dinner and let’s get some rest.” She elbowed Vastra in the ribs to try and shake her from her depressed state. “And don’t worry, I’ll keep you warm”

“You always know how to treat a lady, raw meat and the promise to share your body heat.” She finished her comment with a kiss to Jenny’s lips, however obscure it had sounded, she was entirely serious and hoped Jenny could see that.

****

“You have got to be more quiet next time” Jenny breathed out as she lay in Vastra’s arms. The cool scales felt wonderful against her hot, flushed skin.

“It’s difficult to remain silent when you have such talented fingers.” Vastra felt her arousal grow once more as she thought back to the past hour spent waking up with Jenny. “Besides, Mrs Croft is completely deaf. I asked her for a newspaper, she pointed me towards the boot scraper at the front door.”

Jenny laughed, “That’s why she couldn’t hear me when I called for her yesterday.”

“As difficult as this is going to be, I fear we must leave this bed so that we can get this case solved and be done with this place.” Vastra sat up and placed her feet onto the cold floorboards, hissing at the inanimate wood as if it had bitten her.

They went over the details of the case while they dressed, Jenny helped Vastra with fastening the buttons at the back of her dress as she listened intently.

“A year since, and no further clue as to how she died. A locked room, and no sign of injury or wrongdoing. Her sister, her twin no less, saw her the moment death took her as she cried out the words, _it was the spotted ribbon._ Curious circumstances indeed.” Vastra thought over the details, sure that the place to start was with the twin.

“Off to visit the sister then I assume.”

“It seems that would be the best place to start, the local constabulary aren’t expecting us until Monday, I aim to have an answer for them by then so that we can leave this god forsaken place.” She turned to face Jenny, and thanked her for her help with a soft kiss. “I miss our bed.”

“Our bed?” Granted, Jenny had not slept in her own room since Vastra had returned home, but it was still Vastra’s bed. To hear her call it theirs warmed her from the inside.

“That is what I said, is that a little presumptuous of me?” Vastra was a little unsure of herself, which was not a usual occurrence for the confident Silurian.

“Not presumptuous, no. Premature maybe.” Jenny busied herself with folding their night clothes, “It’s been a week since you came back, a week since we’ve been......” Jenny struggled to find the right word, “Together.” She straightened the bed sheets, “What if you change your mind?”

“I’m not sure the mind has a choice on what the heart has already decided.” Jenny still had her back to her, staring intently at the pillowcase in her hands. Vastra wrapped her arms around her waist from behind, “I think I have loved you from the moment I met you, and that is not likely to change.”

Jenny turned in Vastra arms, bringing her own to rest on her hips, “Well that’s alright then. ‘Cos you’re stuck with me.” She reached up to place a kiss on her nose, not trusting herself with anything more intimate if they were ever to leave this room. “Best get on with it so we can get home to our bed.”

****

The house was imposing, a contrast to the small cottages and terraced streets of the rest of the town. It was a grand building that spoke of wealth and opulence, but it was in desperate need of repairs, or even a broom.

“Thank you for the tea Miss Benson. Now, what has you so rattled?” On arriving at the home of the remaining twin, her startled and dishevelled appearance did not go unnoticed by the visitors.

“I gather you have come about my sister.” Miss Benson started. “For that I am grateful. But it seems your presence here is timely due to the fact that there seem to be odd goings on over the last few nights. I fear I am quite panicked by it.”

“Well let’s deal with that first.” Jenny spoke softly as if to attempt to calm the woman, not trusting Vastra’s tact to be able to deal with the sensitive nature of the situation. “Start from the beginning, try not to leave anything out.”

“It all started when my sister was due to be married. She had promised her hand to a young man from Berkshire, she was besotted with him, as he was with her. It was a promise of escape from here, from our overbearing step father, Dr Walters. It was two weeks to the day that she was due to be married, that her life was taken from her.” Mrs Benson replayed the moment in her mind, still attempting to make sense of it herself. “That night, a slight feeling of trouble took over me, by instinct I left my room to check on my sister. Being her twin, you see, there is an unspoken connection between us. I looked to her room, as the door slowly opened revealing her convulsing body, she cried out to me, something of a spotted ribbon. But what struck me the most is the low humming whistle that filled the corridor, and the clang of metal as if something had fallen, then she fell to the floor as she grasped at the air around us, shouting out our stepfathers name.” A single tear tracked its way down her cheek at the memory.

“The details of the case are rather puzzling,” Vastra attempted to fill the silence that had settled around them, “But I would rather like to hear more about your step father, what are his circumstances?”

“He is a wounded man.” Miss Benson continued. “Not physically, he is quite a well man considering his age, but he has led quite an interesting life that seems to have left psychological scars. He was a doctor; he married my mother after her first husband, my father, died of a short illness. He was a wonderful man, from what I can remember, the heir to a wealthy family fortune. On his death, my mother inherited his land, this very house and all that surrounds. She met my step father while we travelled in India, he had travelled from England to set up a practice there, but as did many of the men in his family, he succumbed to the temptation of alcohol and gambling. A brawl one night after a private function left one man dead, and my step father accused of his death. He spent a few years in prison, narrowly escaping the rope, but on his release he was an entirely changed man. We returned to England shortly after this, but he returned a reclusive bully.” Miss Benson thought back to the many times her step father had shown his rage at unsuspecting visitors, recalling an occasion on which he had thrown the chimney sweep down the stairs for disturbing him. Luckily the sweep escaped unhurt, but the rumours he had managed to spread through the town ensured that no one would visit again. “Do not find me ungrateful, he has looked after us well, albeit without the love a father should show a daughter.”

“What happened to your mother?” Jenny asked, she was already suspicious of the step father, but the details of the locked room and this spotted ribbon was throwing her off the scent.

“She has since passed. Nine years now miss. A boating accident on the river, they found her body washed up on the banks three days after.”

“I’m sorry ma’am, you have suffered quite a few losses in your time.” Jenny passed over a handkerchief which was taken gracefully.

“My mother’s will, it left this place to my step father, as long as we remained with him. If either of us were to marry, we were to be paid the sum of £500 to assist in setting up our new life. I am to be married quite soon, a month from now.” Miss Benson smiled at the thought.

“Congratulations on your impending nuptials Miss Benson. I think you have filled in the background quite well. Now, you mentioned some peculiar goings on over the last few days, what is the circumstance?” Vastra enquired as politely as she was able.

“I am slightly embarrassed, it may be that I am going quite mad. I have since had to move to my sisters room due to some repairs that are required in my own, I fear it may be my own mind that is haunting me, but the noises I hear are quite similar to those that were heard the night of my sisters death.”

“What noises?” Jenny chimed in, she was listening intently as a child would to a ghost story, impatient for the rest of the story.

“Each night this week, it is the same. I retire to my room at around ten pm, and I hear the faint sound of metal against metal, and the low humming whistle, the same whistle I heard the night my sister died.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has come to my attention over the last few chapters that my writing seems to take a rather intimate turn occasionally. This is a warning for future chapters; you never know when these two may end up in compromising situations. I am determined not to skip past these, but if there is a consensus to do so, I will split them into a separate work.


	23. Chapter 23

They sat on the floor of the dull room at the Riverside Inn, papers and photographs scattered about the floor between them. Their morning had been fruitful so far, having filled in some of the missing pieces of the case from Miss Benson’s recounting of the curious death of her sister. The fact that the same strange occurrences are now befalling the remaining twin meant that this case would need to be solved far quicker than initially planned.

“We will need to ensure we are not spotted.” Vastra shuffled the papers around, attempting to place them in some kind of chronological order.

“Why is it that we need to stay in that room?” Jenny was a little nervous of the prospect, considering it had been deduced that Miss Benson’s death was imminent according to Vastra. 

“Did you take note of the vent? The one above the un-ringing bell? It is this that I am sure is the key to solving this mystery. Why is it you think that her bed was fastened to the floor as such, as to ensure it was unmoved? It had been placed just below the vent, and the bell rope in such a proximity that would in all other circumstances seem inconvenient, for it to be resting so close to someone’s head as they slept.” She moved to sit next to Jenny, as she showed her the sketches she had taken of the room as Miss Benson had given them a tour of the chambers.

“It did seem a little off, I must admit. The other thing that seemed a little off is the convenience of the repairs goin’ on in her own room.” Jenny was on the same line of thinking, it was the work of the stepfather. They had the _why_ in the details of the mothers will, the inheritance that would surely leave him unable to keep the house. The _how,_ this was the detail that was still puzzling her.

“I fear that it is our only option, to experience these peculiar goings on ourselves.” Vastra placed a hand on Jenny’s knee as she spoke, purely for the fact that she had missed physical connection to her. “Do not worry my love, we will be quite safe. We will leave here at nine this evening, Miss Benson will signal when our dear Dr Walters has retired, as to not divulge our presence.”

Jenny visibly shuddered at the memory of the place; it felt as though the walls themselves were full of secrets, the bricks barely able to keep them from spilling out. “I hope so. That place gives me the chills.”

****

As they hid from the light of the moon in the expanse of overgrown bushes that surrounded the home of Miss Benson, they saw the flicker of the gas lamp at the window, the indication that it was safe to enter. They had decided that the best means of entry would be directly through the window, their next move would be to scale the ten foot wall separating them from their access. An easy feat for a Silurian, not quite as simple for a human.

Before Vastra’s mind had caught up with her eyes, she heard Jenny whisper from above her, her hand currently grasping the ledge of the open window. “You comin’ or what?”

“My, you are full of surprises.” She whispered back, maybe her ape ancestors had left something useful for the humans after all; she decided she wouldn’t relay this thought to Jenny, unsure if it would be on the list of ‘inconsiderate things that would cause offence’.

They both entered the window with as little noise as possible, Miss Benson having already retreated to the room that was currently under repairs. The room was dark, save for a small flickering flame emanating from a candle next to the bed.

“I will take to the bed, you will take the chair, and do not fall asleep under any circumstances.” Vastra’s whispers came close to Jenny’s ear, the soft touch of her lips as she spoke made sure the stirring inside her made sleep hard to come by.

Vastra blew out the candle, and both sat in the darkness of the room, waiting for something to happen. Minutes seemed to pass slower than they had ever before, Jenny was tense with apprehension as she sat with her back straight, unwilling to let herself relax for fear of what may come.

Then it came. The unmistakable sound of metal against metal, followed by a low, humming whistle. The sound that followed was a sharp hiss, like steam releasing itself from a boiling kettle. Jenny stood in an instant when the next sound came, this one she had heard before. The unmistakable sound of a whip, Vastra’s tongue.

“Got it! Light the candle Jenny.” Vastra spoke, as she did so the deafening scream that followed from the room next door curdled their blood. It was not the scream of a woman, but that of a man in terrible pain.

“I think we have figured out our _how_.” Vastra concluded as she opened the door to the hallway, the sly grin was one that Jenny had seen before, smugness.

Miss Benson had already left her room in the commotion, the look of shock on her face was testament to the fact that she had quite conclusively just escaped death.

“If you would follow me Miss Benson, I am sure that we will find our method, and our conclusion.” Vastra opened the door to the connecting room, revealing the unsightly view of Dr Walters, sitting in his dressing gown, his head slumped backwards, his eyes wide with fear, but empty of life.

“What is that?! It’s the spotted ribbon!” Miss Benson cried out, her hand covering her mouth as it shook with fear.

“That,” Vastra started as she moved towards the corpse, “Is an Indian Viper.” She moved her hand towards the snake, allowing it to slither over her hand and wrap itself over her arm. She brought the reptile towards her face, its tongue flitted out to taste the air, she whistled a slow, deep whistle, the same sound they had heard just moments before, which seemed to calm the snake. Her tongue echoed the movements of the snake from behind her veil.

Jenny watched on intently, Vastra seemed to be communicating with the snake, commanding it’s movements as it followed the instruction, it moved languidly from her arm, over the desk and towards the safe that was opened on the chest in the corner of the room.

Vastra gave one last hiss and flick of her tongue, as she watched the snake disappear into the safe, locking it back into its confine, answering the question of the metallic clanging.

****

They sat in the parlour, Miss Benson seemingly calmed by the warm tea Jenny had insisted she drink. Vastra was recounting the details of the evening’s events to the officer that had been called, on account that they now had a dead body in the house.

“Dr Walters was the perpetrator of the late Miss Benson’s murder. By way of venomous snake.” She relayed the information to the officer, slow enough for him to keep up with his note taking.

“The coroner checked for poison, there was none.” The man argued.

“It was not poison.” She sighed, “It was venom. There is a difference. Poison - you bite it, venom - it bites you. It would not have been found in the contents of her stomach, but in her blood. I would not gather that any physician would have a vast knowledge of venomous snakes, and therefore was not inclined to look for evidence of such. It is not a likely occurrence in a quiet English town. Are you ready for me to continue officer?”

“Inspector. Yes, please do ma’am.”

She glared at the inspector, Jenny watched on trying to stifle a giggle at the woman’s ire towards the man.

“Of course, _inspector._ The means of entry was the vent above the bed, and the rope of the otherwise obsolete bell that hung in the room. Dr Walters had trained the snake to comply to his demands by way of whistling, training it to enter through the vent, down the rope, and to do what it desires, to return again whether it had performed his required act or not. This was repeated each night until the bite was administered. The same fate would have also succumbed to the present Miss Benson, should this had carried on further.” She looked down to the inspectors’ pad, content that he was keeping up sufficiently. “The fact that Miss Flint and I had decided to take this case, and take up Miss Benson’s room for the night had somewhat led to the downfall of Dr Walters. I fear that the.....strike I had managed to administer to the snake enraged it and on returning to Dr Walters, fulfilled its desire at his neck.” She left out the part about using her tongue to administer her own small amount of venom. “If the late Miss Benson were to be re-examined, I am sure you would find two pin like holes on her body, but I fear decomposition would now render this impossible.”

“Right, well, that seems to have tidied that one up.” The inspector concluded, quietly impressed by the Veiled Detectives deduction skills, for a woman. “You’re payment will be forthcoming.”

“That I do not doubt. Miss Flint, shall we?”

****

“It was nice of Miss Benson to let us use her cottage for the next few days.” Jenny entered the front door, admiring the contrast to the room they had just vacated. “It’s lovely.”

“Indeed, maybe we can have a little holiday out of this after all.” Vastra followed Jenny through the door, moving through the cottage to the kitchen. Having found the kettle, she filled it with water and set it on the stove as Jenny lit the fire, and riffled through the cupboards in search of appropriate crockery.

“I think we saved a life today my dear, and in turn, played a part in the subtraction of another” Vastra had paused as she looked out to the manicured lawn through the kitchen window, her mind was still focussed on the case, the fact Miss Benson’s stepfather had initially escaped accusation for the murder of her sister unsettled her. True, the case was a curious one, but any miniscule amount of investigation surely would have led to the discovery of the snake in the safe. The fact that the medical examiner listed her death as having been caused by fright was the sole reason a suspect was not sought.

“I think we did ma’am.” Jenny had joined her in the kitchen, “That snake was a fiery lookin’ fella, didn’t know training a snake was possible.” She set out the cups and saucers, admiring the intricate artwork on them as she did, they were almost as nice as the ones they had at home.

“You can train anything if you put your mind to it.” Vastra’s teasing smirk did not go unnoticed.

“Oi.” Jenny delivered a short sharp poke to Vastra’s ribs, eliciting an overdramatic cry from the Silurian. “Call me ape all you want but I draw the line at _thing_.” She laughed at the Vastra’s feigned innocence. “Go and sit by the fire, I’ll bring the tea in.”

Vastra did as she was told, making herself comfortable on the rug in front of the fire, soaking up the heat emitting from the roaring flames. “Come, sit with me.” She called to Jenny as she heard her come in with the tea. She sat between Vastra’s legs, the warmth from her back seemed to lift her temperature more than the fire had. She hugged her arms around her, nuzzling Jenny’s neck as she did so.

Jenny felt Vastra kiss her neck, her teeth nipping at the skin as she did so. “It’s a good job you’re not venomous, I think I’d be dead a hundred times over.” She felt Vastra freeze, all movement stopped. “Please tell me you are jokin’.” She leant back in an attempt to look into Vastra’s eyes, the wry smile that met her spoke volumes.

“Only when it is required.” She answered innocently.

“Possibly somethin’ you should have told me.” Jenny was a little flustered, unsure if she should be wary of the Silurian.

“I didn’t feel it was important. It is entirely at my control, and it’s doesn’t come from my teeth like the Viper.” She punctuated her sentence with a sharp bite to her lover’s neck. “It is administered by my tongue.”

“Oh that’s much better!” The sarcasm was unmistakable. Although this new information was a little unnerving, she did feel perfectly safe in the arms of the venomous reptile, and couldn’t help but enjoy their current situation, she reached her hand to the back of Vastra’s neck, pulling her in closer. “Could think of worse ways to die I suppose.”

Vastra laughed, completely aware of the images that Jenny had conjured in her mind. “And I couldn’t think of a more pleasant way to kill you.”

“Let’s grow old together first though ‘ey?”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea my love,” She held Jenny closer, the thought of growing old with her warmed her heart. She daren’t broach the subject of her races’ natural life expectancy. The fact that she was sure to outlive her by centuries, the idea of living a single day without Jenny by her side, haunted her. She succumbed to the conclusion that maybe this was her penance, to fall in love with someone that she would eventually end up mourning for hundreds of years. All the more reason to cherish each day, as a temporary gift to ultimately be returned. She sighed, determined to put the thoughts away, to contemplate another day.

“What you thinkin’ about?” Jenny was worried by the sudden silence, and the deep sigh that caused a rush of air to caress her neck.

“I am thinking about the ideal temperature that tea should be consumed. I rather think if it sits any longer, it will be entirely unsuitable for drinking.” She reached over to the table, just managing to pick up a cup from her position on the floor, and handed it to Jenny. She reached over for the second cup and took a sip, “Too late.”

“I’m not convinced.” Jenny stated.

“Well you can have mine then.” She passed Jenny her cup.

“I don’t mean the tea, I mean what you were thinkin’ about. One day you will let me in to that complicated head of yours.” She took a sip of her tea.

_Come on in, the water is lovely._

Jenny laughed at the voice in her mind, it wasn’t entirely what she meant, and Vastra knew that.

_You’re right about the tea._

“If there is anything that I am proud of, it is my knowledge in the art of tea making, and, of course, drinking.” Vastra took the cup from Jenny, and placed them both back on the tray. “Besides,” She moved her arms back to their position around Jenny’s waist, her lips returning to Jenny’s neck, “I’m not in the mood for tea.”

Jenny laughed as she turned her head to capture Vastra’s lips with her own, “Well, there’s a first.”


	24. Chapter 24

The cottage had been a saviour to an otherwise dismal waste of a six hour journey. The three days spent in the quiet solitude of the countryside was a luxury that would never have been even an inkling of an idea for Jenny merely eighteen months previously. Why think of the comforts and indulgence that were only for the highest of society, when the first thought of the day was to check that she was still alive. Even the room back at the Riverside Inn would have been a dream to her. None of it, however, meant a single thing if the woman now by her side was not a part of it.

“Mornin’.” She reached over and kissed the tempting green lips, while her hands were busy ensuring that the kitchen was as orderly as it was when they had arrived.

“Good morning my dear.” The kiss was reciprocated, despite the fact that Vastra was frustrated that she had woken up alone. “This could have waited. I could have helped.”

“I was awake, and you weren’t.” Jenny reasoned.

“Well, I am awake now.” She took Jenny’s hands in her own and led her backwards towards the edge of the kitchen table. “This looks rather precarious; I hope it doesn’t give out.” Her words were laced with suggestion, and Jenny didn’t miss a beat.

“I’m sure we will find out soon enough.” She pulled herself up to sit atop the table, bringing Vastra closer with her legs as she wrapped them around her waist.

“I love you, it’s like you can read my mind.” Vastra teased.

_I don’t have to, you’re completely obvious_

Vastra laughed at the words in her head, she wasn’t sure she could be anything but. “Well, if I am so obvious, what are you waiting for?” She closed the gap between them, but did not connect their lips just yet, waiting to see how long Jenny would make her wait.

“That.” Jenny concluded as the kettle whistled. “I thought might want tea?” Jenny raised an eyebrow as she smiled with feigned innocence at the woman between her legs.

Vastra reached over to the stove from her position, removing the kettle from the flame, and ceasing the incessant screeching, she closed the gap, and this time connected their lips, enjoying the soft hum that resonated through the otherwise silent room.

Jenny felt cool hands reach under her dress and connect with the bare skin of her thighs, hitching the hem up above her knees. Vastra’s lips made their way to the soft skin at her throat, the teeth grazing and biting gently as cool lips soothed the rising heat. One hand grasped the back of Vastra’s neck, pulling her in further, the other at her hip, willing her to come closer. “I don’t trust it to last more than five minutes.” She gasped as Vastra’s hand reached beneath her underwear, her hips rocked into the touch.

“You or the table?”

Jenny raised her eyebrow, “Bit sure of yourself,” She teased. “The table.” She doubted she would last anywhere near five minutes.

“We better hurry then.” By contrast, Vastra’s movements were slow and sensual, her kisses were soft and tender. She felt Jenny rock into her in a steady deliberate rhythm, Vastra’s fingers now warm and wet. She pressed her forehead against Jenny’s, to connect with her; she wanted her to feel what she felt, what she did to her. The overwhelming sensation washed over her, and settled in her abdomen, the one benefit to the connection of minds is that it went both ways, she could feel Jenny hovering over the precipice, and she was right there with her. Her ragged breath filled the air, the wonderful sound of Jenny’s soft cries mixed with her own. The creak of the table spurred Vastra on to move a little faster, her actions were appreciated, she could feel how close she was, how close they both were. She curled her fingers, receiving exactly the response she had hoped for, Jenny’s voice filled the air with a pleasurable cry, followed quite swiftly by Vastra’s rumbling moan. The rhythm became unpredictable as the wave of satisfaction washed over them both. Vastra slowed her pace, drawing out every last tremble, enjoying the way Jenny’s muscles contracted around her fingers.

Another creak emanated from the straining wood beneath her, it took Jenny a few seconds for her mind to catch up with the current situation. “As much as I want to do that again, I think I best move or we’ll have Miss Benson after us.” She placed another kiss to Vastra’s lips, lacing her arms around her neck as she eased herself from the table, coming to rest on her unsteady legs. Grateful for the arms still wrapped around her waist, she leaned into Vastra while she regained her composure.

Vastra smiled down at her lover, curls escaped from her usually tidy bun, her flushed cheeks were warm to the touch. “The carriage will be here soon, time to go home my love.”

****

Life at Paternoster Row was at present, tense. Contrary to Vastra’s estimations, Jenny was not ready to use the Katanas. Vastra had been training Jenny on the intricacies of the various movements, the never ending rules and the numerous capabilities, but this is the first time Jenny had used her belt, rather than replacing it on the stand.

“Ouch.”

“Hush. You did this to yourself,” Vastra was trying to be gentle as she pressed a cloth to the gash on Jenny’s thigh that was currently seeping blood onto the kitchen floor. “Use this pain as a testament to the fact that you should always pay attention, even when sheathing your sword. Just because the battle is over, does not mean you have won.”

“Ouch.” Jenny repeated, now entirely out of habit. The pain had subsided somewhat, she was unsure if it was due to the fact that she had lost so much blood that she was about to blank out, or that it was nowhere near as bad as she was making it out to be. “Am I gunna die?”

“I think you might........” Vastra paused, hearing Jenny gasp, she never got tired of teasing her, “need a couple of stitches but you will live.” She smiled at her lover, the frown that had settled on Jenny’s brow let her know that it wasn’t appreciated. 

“I don’t like the sound of that.” Jenny watched on as Vastra threaded a needle, she could feel the bead of sweat trickling down her temple at the thought. “Just do it quick.”

Vastra did as she was asked, but as she did she glanced over at Jenny every so often, to gage her reactions. It was an odd thought to have, but she began thinking about eyebrows. She had always wondered what the point of them was. The apes that she used to hunt, they were covered in hair, there was a point to this, for warmth and protection. The almost hairless relatives that were the humans had kept some of the fur, but it was in the strangest places. It wasn’t until she had really got to know Jenny, that she realised the point. The hair that flowed from her head, was purely there for Vastra’s pleasure, that is what she had decided. Eyebrows, what was the point? She had noticed how Jenny’s eyes, her lips, her nose, had all remained unmoved, her eyebrows however, had managed to convey at least six separate emotions in the last ninety seconds. Now she understood. She threaded the fourth stitch through Jenny’s delicate skin, content that this would be sufficient.

“You finished yet?” Jenny whispered, not wanting to disturb Vastra’s concentration.

“Yes,” Vastra cleaned off the remaining blood, happy with her tidy work. “You must keep it clean and no vigorous movements.” She laughed at the disappointment etched on her face. “You will spend the next week learning how to remove and replace your Katana. Blindfolded.”

“Although I know you mean that to be my punishment, I think I have to agree.” Jenny had started to feel less like a damsel in distress, and more like an embarrassed student that had failed the easiest of tests.

Vastra finished her work with a soft kiss to the now clean wound. It was only two inches in length, but it could have been a lot worse. “Now, how about we rest up for the afternoon, I have a few cases for us go over, I will bring them to the drawing room, go and make yourself comfortable.” She laughed at the way Jenny held herself as she left the kitchen, entirely sure that the limping gait was a little over reactive.

“Thank you for saving my life.” Jenny turned to say before she left. Vastra’s eye roll was confirmation that she was indeed being melodramatic.

“You are an awful patient.” Vastra stood to follow Jenny from the room, making a detour at the study to retrieve enough files to keep them busy for the afternoon. She spent a few minutes reviewing the current information on the pin board, attempting to memorise the contents. She relented to the fact that she would need to roll the board to the drawing room for fear that she may miss something important. She made her way to join Jenny, arms laden with files as she kicked the pin board as delicately as she could through the study door.

“Do you need any help?” Jenny called out as she heard the ruckus emanating from the hallway. She watched as Vastra entered after the board as it rolled through the doorway, hitting everything it possibly could as it did so.

“No, I am quite capable. Although I do feel that it would have been simpler if I had made two trips.” She settled the board next to the settee, at an angle that would allow Jenny to view from her reclined position on the opposite sofa, as she gently placed the files currently in her arms onto her midriff, careful not to cause any damage to her thigh. She settled on the floor, her back resting against the sofa, and Jenny behind her. “Could you pass me the Daniels case.” She didn’t look up as she reached her hand behind her, receiving the file as requested.

Jenny took the moment of peace while Vastra was concentrating on reviewing the file to really see the complete an utter domesticity that had befallen 13 Paternoster Row, albeit slightly unconventional. It felt like she had been here for years, her time on the streets seemed to have faded into a fogged memory, akin to one that was of a past life from which she had been reincarnated, rather than her own past. She felt like this would be how a marital home would be, a sadness settled within her at the thought. Even if she wanted to marry Vastra, content that if she was asked she would say yes, this would not be something that would be acceptable or even legal. She doubted that anything that went on in this house would be considered acceptable, and that is how she liked it. She reached a hand over to caress Vastra’s cheek, gently running her fingers over her crests, admiring the way Vastra subconsciously leaned into the touch as she worked.

“How would you choose to gut someone?” Vastra questioned aloud.

Jenny cringed at the image that had interrupted her own wonderful daydream, “What do you mean how?”

“Well, with a knife or course, or a weapon sharp enough, but my question is more of a moral one.” Vastra’s pen slowly tapped at her chin, a clear sign that she was deep in thought. “How do you come to the conclusion that you would rather a person’s innards, be out..ards.”

“I’m not quite sure I know.” Jenny answered; the thought was a valid one. She had seen many cases of murder, some more gruesome than others, and it always struck her too as to how someone could bring themselves to commit such crimes and not leave the contents of their own stomach behind with it. “I’d be inclined to think they had a screw loose.”

“Indeed, possibly several.” Vastra determined slightly absentmindedly. “Although, that screw must have been loosened by someone or something, an event or possibly a knock to the head. I find it difficult to believe that someone could simply be born with the predisposition to murder or maim. Yet it seems that this case is completely without reason.”

Jenny was familiar with the case, it was that of a man that, by all intents and purposes, was loved by all that knew of him. He wasn’t a rich man by any means; he had a wife but no children, and went to church every Sunday. There wasn’t a reason they could find that would lead someone to murder him, and to do so in such a horrific manner. “Maybe he wasn’t born. Maybe he was dragged from the depths of hell.”

Vastra laughed at the way Jenny had said her last comment, like she was retelling a horror story. “You may be right.” Vastra sighed at the lack of information, this being a cold case meant that any evidence around the scene would have been long gone by now, any essence of a scent remaining would have dissipated into nothingness. “I do hate that they leave these things for so long. This case is two years old, I have been working for them for nigh on four.”

“Probably got lost under all the stupid.” Jenny joked.

“Ha! Indeed my love. I fear we may have to wait this one out, there have not been any similar cases as yet, let us hope that whoever did this got what he wanted.” Vastra left a note on the file, “I will need to take a look at the physical evidence when we are next at the station.”

Jenny felt herself shiver as a cold breeze made its way through the house. “Think winter is well on its way.”

“I’ve come to like the colder moments.” Vastra’s concentration had faltered slightly at the thought, “It gives me an excuse to get close to you.” She turned to face Jenny, placing a soft kiss to her forehead.

“You don’t need an excuse.”

“I know, but it helps my argument.” Vastra handed the file back to Jenny, she left her open hand out to receive the next.

“This one should be easy.” Jenny flicked through the file before she passed it on.

“You would think so, but there is a reason it has come our way, and is not already solved.” She turned to face Jenny side on, “Tell me, what is your conclusion?”

“A woman went missing from her home, never to be seen again. No belongings taken, just the clothes on her back.” Jenny surmised. “Her husband had been married twice before, both died after fallin’ down the stairs. Bit suspicious if you ask me.” Jenny continued, the anger in her voice was prevalent. “She legged it. The fact that it’s the husband that’s pressuring the police to find her makes me think that he hasn’t killed her and hid her somewhere, but probably wants to.”

“I think I am inclined to agree my dear.” Vastra made a note on the file for the officers to check into the deaths of the other man’s wives, she was sure that this case would end up back on her desk in the next few weeks. She handed it back to Jenny, waiting for the next file.

“Ah, the antique vase. This was an intriguing case.” Vastra found the sketch of the vase, it was a beautiful piece going by the drawing, she was equally impressed with the sketch artist’s work. “It disappeared whilst in plain view of the occupants of the room.”

“Space pirates.”

“Space pirates. That is your conclusion to the robbery of an antique vase?” Vastra was starting to get concerned about the woman behind her, she was currently between sleep and awake, hand idly playing with the scales at her neck. “I think you may have lost more blood than I had originally estimated.”


	25. Chapter 25

“Good afternoon. I believe you are in need of assistance regarding the disappearance of an antique vase.” Vastra’s insincere attempt at a convincing smile was thankfully hidden behind her veil. The cold weather did nothing but dampen her mood further. As they stood quite patiently on the door step of Mr Hedge’s modest home, she was grateful for the fact that Jenny had made the trip with her, hoping that she could rely on her ever present politeness to counter the harshness that the frigid air brought upon her usually demure disposition.

“And who might you be?” Was the answer they had received from the maid.

“I’m Jenny Flint, and this is Madame Vastra, consulting detective for Scotland Yard.” Jenny’s smile was unwavering, despite the huff of frustration that emitted from the woman beside her. “Could we come in and speak with Mr Hedges?” Jenny noticed the look of realisation that was now etched on the young girls face.

“Oh! Of course, the great Veiled Detective! Please, come in, it’s frightfully cold out. I think he has been expecting you.” The maid opened the door further, allowing the two women to enter the house. “Take a seat in the parlour, I will let Henry know of his visitors. Could I get you some tea? Sherry?”

“Tea would be wonderful my dear.” Vastra spoke, finally thawing by the fire. She looked about the room, noticing the numerous items of obvious value. They did not fit their surroundings. It was true that the home of Henry Hedges was unassuming, yet full of objet d’art that would be more fitting to a manor estate. She could already see the gap on the mantel; she assumed that this was once the home of the missing piece that they had come to investigate.

“Madame Vastra, what a pleasure and an honour.” Henry reached out a hand for Vastra to shake, “And you must be Miss Flint, a pleasure also.” He repeated his sentiment to Jenny, sincere in his appreciation. “I have heard so much about you, I am almost thankful for my misfortune, it has in turn given me this opportunity to make your acquaintance.”

“Nice to meet you too sir.” Jenny was a little overwhelmed at the excitement of the man, she started to wonder if he had plotted the theft for a chance to catch a glimpse of Vastra.

“Shall we get down to the business at hand?” Vastra had taken a seat next to Jenny, relishing in the warmth of the tea that had been handed to her by the maid.

“Of course, I would assume that you have received the notes that the inspectors made when they visited a few weeks ago?” Mr Hedges queried.

“Yes, but I would prefer to hear the unfiltered version, if you will.” Vastra waited for Henry to relay the case, already pre-empting the fact that the case notes she had received would be missing an uncomfortable amount of detail.

“Indeed.” Henry had calmed slightly, in an attempt to recall the night of the theft, “The only way I can explain the circumstances is that of pure wizardry. One minute it was there, the next it wasn’t. I had been out most of the day, and had retired to this room to rest and acquaint myself with the morning’s newspaper. Having only had the vase for a few days, I tended to look it over when in this room, admiring the workmanship of it. For the price paid, it deserved every ounce of my attention.”

“Would you mind if I asked how much that was?” Jenny asked, purely for her own interest.

“Not at all. It was three hundred pounds. Or there abouts.” He seemed to have lowered his voice to a whisper, concerned that someone would be listening in.

“Quite an extravagant purchase.” Vastra stated, she had began to wonder where he managed to find sufficient funding for such items, the vase alone was worth as much as a years’ wages for the average worker. “Tell me, what is it that you do to be able to afford such luxuries?”

“Well, this is exactly what I do. I buy items of value, and sell them for a small profit. Some such items stay with me for a year or two, their value grows with time, and I get a small amount of joy from them before I sell them on. This one in particular was due to be sold on next month; I have a visitor coming over from New York to invest. Such is why I am inclined to have it back in my possession as swiftly as possible.” Mr Hedges shifted in his seat at the uncomfortable position he now found himself, the unpleasant situation of being three hundred pounds out of pocket.

“Indeed. I understand your dilemma. Now, I would like to know of the situation regarding the household. Is it just you and the maid present?” Vastra was sure it would have something to do with the residents of the house, whether they were there to assist the perpetrator, or where the perpetrator themselves, it would not have been an easy feat to make something disappear in front of someone’s eyes.

“And my son, Mason. The wife is off visiting her cousin in Scotland, has been there for the last month.” As if hearing his name, Mason entered the room, his wide eyes showed the surprise at the current visitors. “Ah, Mason. This is Madame Vastra, she is here to find my vase.”

“I am here to find the perpetrator of the theft, should that lead to the recovery of your item then see that as an added bonus.” Vastra stood to great Mason, aware that he was looking a little ill at ease. “Now, Master Hedges, where were you at the time the vase was taken?”

********

As Jenny sat at the small table in her old bedroom, the room that to all outsiders was still her bedroom, she looked out to the streets below, the winter grey skies seemed to drape a cloak of shadow over its inhabitants as they went about their daily business. As she mused on her current predicament, she tapped her pen against her chin, her now distracted mind entirely elsewhere. It was almost Christmas, her second Christmas at Paternoster Row, and Vastra has decided to take a few weeks off from her cases. It was all well and good, she had her pastimes of reading and, in the last few months, had taken up painting, but Jenny had found herself feeling idle. She had taken it upon herself to write up the more interesting cases they had come across, starting with the mystery of the disappearing vase.

“Perplexing.” She said aloud, the word she had been searching for as she had been momentarily distracted by thoughts of sharing a kiss under the mistletoe.

_The case was at first, a perplexing one. If it wasn’t for the interruption of Master Hedges, we would have been at somewhat at a loss. Madame seemed to sense an aura of shame or regret, I don’t know how she came to possess such a talent but I do not question it, for it led us on the path of something quite intriguing, and altogether other worldly._

“Ah, there you are my dear.” Vastra walked into the room to find the object of her thoughts currently deep in concentration.

“Here I am.” Jenny continued writing as she leaned in to the kiss to her cheek. “While you’re here, can you explain it to me again?”

Vastra reclined on the bed, careful to hang her feet over the edge so that her shoes did not leave a mark on the clean sheets. “Explain what, my love?”

“The filter, the thing that hid the vase.”

“The perception filter? It is a device that temporarily shifts the senses, misdirects and confuses. It did not hide it, but merely led the observer to believe it was not there, until a time when the perpetrator was in a position to remove it from its home.” Vastra played idly with the hem of her dress as she stared up at the ceiling.

“Right. I think I get it.” Jenny carried on with her writing as she recalled the case.

_In attempting to live up to his fathers’ genius in the procurement and distribution of exotic works of art, Master Hedges had unwittingly gotten himself caught up in the contemptible criminal underground, crossing paths with a rather odd looking man from the planet Tivoli. I am told by Madame that this usually cowardly race of people are quite common here in London, if you ever find yourself looking upon a man, unsure of whether you are looking at the face of a human, or that of an overgrown mole, he may very well be a Tivolian._

“I have it downstairs if you want me to show you?” Vastra spoke into the quiet room, she tried not to reveal to Jenny that she was indeed bored, and in need of something to occupy her time.

“How did you get hold of it?” Jenny put down her pen, the idea of being able to study the contraption excited her.

“I didn’t feel it would be appropriate for such an item to be in the hands of the police, goddess knows how that would end.” She rolled her eyes at Jenny as she left the room.

Jenny laughed at the idea as she continued writing.

_Having had a deal gone awry, Master Hedges found himself on the wrong side of the law, and on the wrong side of a very angry man. This seemed to throw him into the path of Daggis (The Tivolian), who had found himself also indebted to the criminal. An unlikely alliance formed, and so did the plan to steal his fathers’ vase._

She heard Vastra’s footsteps as she came through the door, her concentration remained on the page in front of her. She felt Vastra’s presence behind her, “Gimme a second, let me finish this bit then you can give me a demonstration.” She felt Vastra’s hand come to rest on hers as she wrote, stopping her momentum, the vision before her made her heart beat rapidly with fright. She stood from the chair in one swift motion, backing herself up to the window as she took in the wry smile from the woman in front of her. “Who the bloody hell are you!”

Vastra laughed at the confusion on Jenny’s face. “It’s me, my love.”

“Vastra?” She looked a little closer at the woman, her skin was pale, a little paler than her own but it was human. Her hair was dark, almost black, it was cropped to a length that made the strands come to rest at her jaw, her eyes where the bluest blue, eyes that she knew. The smile, it was one she had seen a thousand times, yet had never seen before. She took a step closer, and reached out her hand to touch the skin of her cheek, it was soft and smooth under her fingers, yet icy cold. “You’re human.”

Vastra reached up her hand to cover Jenny’s as she leaned into the touch, “I may look human,” She reached down to place a kiss to Jenny’s lips, “But it is still me.”

Jenny flinched at the gesture, she felt uncomfortable, like she was being kissed by someone other than Vastra. “I’m not sure I like it.” She took a step back, her eyes not leaving the ocean of blue that met hers. “How are you doing it?”

“It’s the perception filter. It’s making you believe that I am something else. I have not changed, but your perception of me has.” Vastra could sense the unease from her lover. She took her hands and let her to sit back at the table, as she took the seat opposite. “Not only can it render something invisible, it can also alter the appearance of something, even biological matter.”

“You make quite a fine looking human,” Jenny blushed, Vastra was incredibly beautiful in her current state, her red lips tempted her in, her dark hair dared her to touch, but this was not the woman she had fallen in love with. She missed her, she was sat right in front of her, but she missed her and that unsettled her. “But I think I prefer it when you’re green.”

Vastra flicked a switch on the device that she had clipped to her waist. “I’m here, see?”

Jenny breathed a sigh of relief as Vastra’s jade scales came back into view, she reached over to take her hand, she placed a soft kiss to the palm, “Don’t do it again, I don’t like it.”

“I could use this, instead of that dreary veil.” Vastra fiddled with the contraption, knowing full well that it was not something she would be comfortable with doing, she felt the veil brought with it a slight air of mystery that she had become to enjoy.

“Then what would they call you, you wouldn’t be the Veiled Detective anymore, you’d be the ......detective. Bit boring.” Jenny concluded. “besides, I don’t like it.”

“I know, I think that was evident by the look of horror on your face. To be truthful, if it was found that you preferred me that way I think that would have been a little disheartening.” The thought had only just crossed her mind, but it seemed to settle in her stomach like a half ton weight, it wouldn’t have been disheartening; she would have died a little inside. “Now, you would like a demonstration?”

“I think I just had one didn’t I?” Jenny retorted.

****

“Your writing is impeccable my dear,” Vastra read through Jenny’s retelling of the case, she had reached the part in which the reader would now discover the secret of the heist, and the more disconcerting fact that there were aliens among us. “It is a shame that the young Mr Hedges couldn’t confide in his father, instead deciding to take matters into his own hands. I fear the vase is already making its way to Bulgaria as we speak.”

Jenny was somewhere between awake and asleep, as she usually was when she found herself in the comfortable embrace of the Silurian, resting in front of the roaring fire. The evening had drawn in quicker than she had realised, the late hour confirmed by the chiming of the clock. “Mmmm, probably.”

Vastra smiled at the sleepy woman resting on her chest, “Jenny, how do you feel about getting a tree this year, I have come to understand that this is tradition, a slightly unusual tradition but all the same, if it is something that would make you happy then I would be open to the idea.”

“That would be nice,” the idea warmed Jenny, “Maybe you’d be up for a roast turkey?”

Vastra cringed at the thought, “If I must.”

“You must” Jenny reached up to place a soft kiss to Vastra’s lips, “And you also must ask Mrs Cromwell for a dozen of her amazing mince pies.”

“Anything for you my dear.” She deepened the kiss further, “I do think it is way past our bedtime, and we do have a busy day ahead of us.”

Jenny stood, holding out her hand for Vastra to take, “What we doin’ tomorrow?” Jenny yawned as she walked up the stairs, Vastra following behind her.

“Finding a tree to cut down in its prime, to then drag into the house so that we can watch it die before our very eyes, after we have decorated it with gaudy objects in an attempt to shame it for existing.” The contrast of her cheerful tone and the morbid words was a little unnerving.

Jenny laughed, she knew Vastra was teasing, “I can’t wait!”


	26. Chapter 26

Jenny was certain she would never tire of waking up to the same view every morning. She ran her fingers over the emerald skin, tracing the intricate pattern, attempting to commit each detail to memory. It was warm to the touch, evidence of a night spent in her own unyielding embrace. As she put her palm flat against Vastra’s back, she could feel the slow pulse of a heartbeat, the sound that soothed her to sleep every night for almost four months. She wondered if she would ever be able to sleep without it now, it was her own personal lullaby. She wrapped her arms around the woman still fast asleep in front of her, her hands came to rest on a toned abdomen, she drew herself in closer, pressing her own bare skin against the silken scales, a feeling alone she could never get enough of. She could feel the soft, almost inaudible rumble of a satisfied purr emanating from the woman in her arms as she felt her move into the hold further. She placed a soft kiss to Vastra’s neck, before attempting to move away to get out of bed and start the day. The firm grip on her arms told her she was not going anywhere just yet.

“Don’t go. You’re so warm.” 

Jenny melted at the sound of the sleepy whisper, how could she deny such a request. “Is that all you want me for, my body heat?” She held her closer again, hearing a soft hum of satisfaction as she did so.

“No.”

“What else?” Jenny enquired, interested in what reasons Vastra could summon whilst in her almost comatose state.

“Kisses.”

Jenny placed another soft kiss to Vastra’s neck, she really didn’t want to go anywhere, but she had a list of things to do as long as her arm. “I have to. And it’s time you got up too; you can help me with the laundry.”

“I do love you, but I also dislike you sometimes.” Vastra huffed as Jenny relinquished her hold on her, leaving her open to the coldness of the room. “Only sometimes.” She reciprocated the kiss that Jenny placed to her lips as she came to her side of the bed, on her way to the bathroom.

“If you get up now, I might be able to find room in my bath for you.” Jenny tried to hide her smile at Vastra’s now wide eyes, she had learned a few tricks over the last month that seemed to work a treat, and she must admit that she also benefitted greatly from her ploys to pull Vastra from their bed.

Vastra watched intently as Jenny’s bare form sauntered out of the room, the door closing behind her. Momentarily dazed, her eyes now fixed on the door, it took her a few seconds for her brain to find the correct gear, but when it did, she wasted no time in following the object of her ever existent desire.

****

“We seem to have ended up in the exact same position we were an hour ago, yet this time instead of being in a nice warm bed, we’re wallowing in a pool of tepid water.” Vastra leaned into Jenny as she tried to argue that fact that she should have relented and stayed in bed with her, although she would never deny that she was wholeheartedly enjoying being sat between Jenny’s thighs with her warm body pressed against her back.

“Probably wouldn’t have had as much fun though ‘ey?” Jenny continued to run her hands over Vastra’s skin, entranced by the way the water made it feel under her fingertips.

Vastra sighed as her body reacted to the memory of the last hour spent bathing with her favourite human. “I concede.” She turned her head so that she could reach Jenny’s lips with her own. “Although it is the last thing I want to do, I am going to have to vacate if I am to live another day, I am positively freezing.”

“You go and warm yourself up, I’ll be out in a minute.” She watched on as Vastra wrapped herself in a towel, kissing her on the forehead as she made her way out of the room, leaving Jenny alone with her thoughts. Thoughts that seemed to never veer much further than the other occupant of Paternoster Row.

Vastra had managed to warm herself up in front of the dwindling fire in the bedroom as she dressed for the day ahead. She made her way to the kitchen and set the kettle on the stove to warm enough water for at least three cups of tea, she needed to rid herself of the remaining chill that had seemed to settle in her bones, just as she felt Jenny’s presence fill the room.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course my dear, whether you receive an answer depends entirely on the question.” She smiled at Jenny’s eye roll, she would never tire of teasing her.

“Before you were,” Jenny tried to think of the correct phrase, “put to sleep, where you ever in love with someone, someone like you I mean?”

“Well, I must say I wasn’t expecting that.” Vastra took a seat at the table, readying herself for the conversation ahead. She took a few moments to think back to her time, she wanted to be honest with Jenny, but she needed to make sure she was being honest to herself first and foremost. “I’m not really sure that I knew what love felt like, before I met you.”

“So, you haven’t, you know, before me?”

“That is not what I said.” She noticed how Jenny frowned slightly at her admittance, Vastra was sure it was a subconscious reaction, convinced she would react the same at the thought of Jenny being with anyone else, she had never dared ask. But neither should feel guilty of anything that had happened before they met. “My species are no different to humans when it comes to their specific needs, or desires if you will. I am not a nun.”

Jenny let out a little chuckle at the thought of Vastra in a habit. “No, you’re not. Thank God. Although I do think the black and white would compliment your skin tone.” She had to admit to herself that she was a little jealous at the thought of Vastra with someone else, however unnecessary that was. “Was it a woman?”

“All of them were female, yes.” Vastra was teasing, yet again. In all honesty, there were only three, and all before she had found other means to occupy her mind. The wide eyed look that stared back at her made her feel a little guilty. “Three. I think I loved each of them enough to care about their wellbeing, and to spend my time with them, but knowing what I know now, about love, I can say with certainty that no, I was not in love with any of them.”

“Two.” Jenny stated. It was only fair to reciprocate the admittance. Vastra’s silent questioning gaze was a prompt to elaborate. “Well, one and a half.”

“A half?” her questioning gaze had morphed into one of confusion. “You had relations with half of a person?”

“No! I had half..... ‘relations’ as you put it with a whole person. Girl. Her mum walked in on us half way through and threatened to tell mine, after she'd skinned me alive, so I told her before she got the chance, hence the reason I was out on the street.”

“Ah, that makes more sense. Did you love her?”

Jenny could sense that Vastra was sincere in her interest; either that or she was a lot better at hiding any indication of jealousy than she was. “Infatuated maybe, or teenage lust. She was the first person that made me realise that I wasn’t the only one like me.”

“And the other?”

“No, a warm body on a cold night, definitely not love.” Jenny took it upon herself to pour the tea that had been steeping in the pot for the last ten minutes. “The third, well, she is most definitely the first woman, and only woman I have ever been in love with.” She glanced over to Vastra as she poured the milk, hoping she had realised that she was the third. She moved to stand next to her, and reached down to press a soft kiss to her cheek, and nudged her with her nose to get her to look at her. “You know that’s you don’t you?”

“I do.” Her smile reached her eyes, as it always did when it came to Jenny. “Although, if I were to be pedantic, mathematics would suggest that I would be 2 and a half, but being fractionalised doesn’t sit well with me so I am happy to settle for third.” She tried to stifle the laugh that was threatening at the raised eyebrow, “Only if I was being pedantic of course.”

“Of course.” She flicked Vastra’s nose, receiving a flick to her own that she was unable to dodge.

“Now, I have had quite enough of thinking of your hands on other women, how about we go and find that tree that I promised you?”

****

Christmas Eve was always one of Jenny’s favourite days as a child. It brought with it a promise of joy, of family and of love. Knowing that the following day was the only day of the year when she could selfishly have both her parents to herself, no work for her father, and helping her mother in the kitchen with the preparation of the feast of food she only ever got to eat one day a year. Christmas pudding, complete with a brandy sauce flame, she remembered not quite liking the bitter taste of the alcohol, but loved how it made her feel like one of the grown-ups. She had that same feeling, the childlike joy. It had been lost to her for a number of years, even her first Christmas with Vastra was laced with saddening thoughts about her family, but this time, she was with her family. Her new, perfectly formed, very small family of two. She still wasn’t quite sure what to call her relationship with the Silurian, but all that mattered is that they were happy.

“My love, I think you have over-estimated the size of this room.” Vastra looked over to Jenny who was currently sweeping up the pine needles that had found themselves detached from their branches. She was sure the tree would be too big, but Jenny’s excitement of finding the ‘perfect tree’ as she so excitedly put it, deterred her from voicing her opinion. She had managed to keep it to herself for all of four days before the incessant scratching of the needles against her skin and clothing every time she entered or left the room began to grate on her nerves.

“I think you might be right. Remind me next year.” Jenny wiped her brow as she stood from her kneeling position. “Not much fun having to sweep these up either. It does look pretty though, you can’t argue that.”

“I could give it a good go.” She whispered to herself as she sat on the settee, the evening was drawing in and she had come to take up her usual position, in front of the roaring fire with Jenny by her side.

“Where did this come from?” Jenny had noticed a box under the tree, wrapped in odd coloured paper with pictures of little round snowmen dressed in a top hat and scarf, “Is this from your Doctor friend?”

“According to the note, it’s from his wife. Professor Song. Well, I think she’s his wife, I’m not sure I can quite keep track. Keeping up with time travel is like trying to find a way out of a maze that has no exit.” Vastra’s attention went back to her book.

“Is it from the future?” Jenny couldn’t hide her excitement of the prospect. “You have to open it!”

“It is addressed to you as well my dear.”

“But I don’t even know who she is, you open it.” Jenny brought the parcel over to Vastra, she sat on the edge of the seat, holding it out for her to take.

“As far as I am aware, the tradition is to open gifts on Christmas Day.” She couldn’t help but smile at Jenny’s excitable expression, of course she was going to relent. “Fine.” She carefully peeled back the garish paper, and pulled open the top of the box. It took her quite a few seconds to completely decipher what the contents was, but when she did she could not help but blush. She closed the lid and placed her hands on top, not entirely sure how to process it.

“What is it?” She had noticed Vastra’s scales grow darker, and her wide eyed look, but what intrigued her the most was the wry smile that was only just evident.

“I rather think at this point, Professor Song knows us a lot better than we know her.” She handed the closed box back to Jenny, daring her to take a look. She watched on as she opened the lid just as she had done, and watched intently for the look of realisation.

“Oh.”

There it was. Vastra’s wry smile was now mirrored by Jenny’s own, the deep blush that settled on her usually fair cheeks was testament to the fact that she knew exactly what the object was that sat quite proudly inside the box. “Oh indeed.”

“I can’t wait to meet Professor Song.”

****

Jenny’s stomach had never hurt so much in her life. Even after the days when they would train for hours, hours of trying to keep up with a Silurian Warrior, her muscles had never ached as much as they did now.

“It’s horrendous. What is wrong with you?”

Jenny couldn’t speak, tears streamed at her eyes, the fit of laughter at Vastra’ offence to a Brussels sprout wouldn’t subside. Up to now, their first proper Christmas dinner had been as normal as any other, but the sight of Vastra trying to scrape all remnants of the abhorrent vegetable from her tongue was not something you would expect to see on a picture postcard of a traditional Christmas.

“I need a drink.” Vastra poured herself another glass of warm blood, she couldn’t help the feeling of pure adoration that filled her at the sight of Jenny’s laughter, even if it was at her own expense. “I think you need to take a breath my dear.” She watched on as Jenny attempted regained a semblance of composure.

“I think I actually have to agree with you, I don’t even like them myself.” Jenny wiped away the tears as she took a long breath, another chuckle threatened to set her off again.

“Why on earth did we cook them then?” Vastra was sure she would never understand the rituals surrounding this obscure holiday. The idea that the whole debacle was in celebration of a character from a story book was peculiar enough. It was not her culture, but she would play along if it meant fitting in with the ape society.

“For that reason, and that reason alone.” Jenny thought she should have felt guilty, but she didn’t. Not one bit, but Vastra’s pout was the one thing that always melted Jenny into submission. She didn’t see it often, but when she did she couldn’t resist, it showed a childlike vulnerability that was so far from her outward appearance and she loved it.

“Well, now that you have had your fun, can I please have something decent to eat?” She blushed as Jenny raised an eyebrow playfully, “Now my dear, that would be greedy of me.”


	27. Chapter 27

Christmas had passed as quickly as it came. It seems that the days blur into one when filled with monotony of a blissfully mundane existence, something that was a welcome reprieve from the constant probing into the lives of the criminal underworld.

Jenny shivered as she sat at the front bedroom window, the same position she would take each night that Vastra was out on reconnaissance. The fire had dwindled, while her unwavering attention was fixed on the street below. She stared into the empty night, occasionally catching her own reflection in the glass, seeing the worry in her own eyes. She looked at the clock again, only three minutes had passed since her last glance. An uneasiness had taken hold of her, a tight grip that wouldn’t relent. She had always worried, but this wasn’t worry, this was dread. It clung to her like a vice, squeezing her to a point where every breath felt like a chore to her lungs. She had been expecting her back over an hour ago. She had told herself to wait, three times over she had argued with herself to wait just five more minutes. She couldn’t wait any longer, the pull to go to her was inexorable.

Jenny moved through the house with a single agenda. She riffled through the files on the desk in the study, the address is all she needed. Reaching around the desk for the lever to open the door to the training room, she took the stairs three at a time and strapped a Katana to her waist, wasting no time in heading for the front door. She threw her coat over her shoulders if only to hide the weapon at her side, catching a cold was the least of her worries.

She weaved her way through the narrow alleyways, grateful for the knowledge that years on the street had given her of the shortcuts and hidden paths between buildings, she had come to an abandoned warehouse that would take almost half a mile off of her journey. Using her shoulder as a ram, she broke through the rotten wood of the door in one swift shove. Her dress snagged on a rusty nail as she squeezed through the open window at the other end of the building, she cared very little for the material as she pulled at it, leaving a sizeable amount behind. She had almost reached the address she had found on the file, what she would do when she got there she didn’t know. If Vastra wasn’t there she had no clue how she would find her. She slowed her pace, keeping to the dark shadows, avoiding the glow of the gaslights. Keeping her back to the wall, she listened for any sign of a presence. No voices, no footsteps, not a sound.

_Where are you?_

She didn’t know what else to do. She hoped Vastra would be close enough to hear her voice, even if it was just to tell her she was coming. Nothing. Tears started to sting at her eyes, she clamped them tight shut, willing herself to think of something. She didn’t know where to go from here. What if Vastra was already home? What if she couldn’t hear because something had happened to her? She calmed herself, as much as she could all while the unwavering feeling of dread washed over her again and again. It took her a few seconds to clear her mind, but it seemed to pull her towards the end of the street. She moved silently and swiftly, her ears trained on any sound, her eyes looked for any movement. A whisper of heels hitting cobbles reached her ears, before she had a chance to see where the noise was coming from, she was almost knocked to the ground.

“Careful!” Her voice was a low whisper, but she still seemed to make the man jump. He looked as if he had seen a ghost.

“Get out of here miss, get home. It’s not safe.” He took one more look back in the direction he had come from, and picked up his pace again as he walked by.

“Wait!” Jenny tried to get his attention, but with her voice still a whisper he didn’t hear her call out. Either that or he was too scared to stop.

With one more glance at the man now disappearing into the night, she made her way in the direction he had come from. As she turned the next corner, she could hear the faint sound of a voice, she couldn’t make out the words but it was a menacing sound. She could sense anger in the tone, but it was the ominous laugh that made Jenny’s skin crawl.

She moved closer to the sound, following the voice as it travelled through the air. The words were becoming clearer.

“I fink you turnin’ up as been a bit a luck. I could make a bit of money sellin’ you, I could skin you for a nice rug or summat. Or a nice pair of boots.”

She held her breath, any sound would be sure to alert him of her presence. Her back to the wall, she peered past the brick work, straining to get a view of the man. Dreading what she might see, she held for a second, unable to bring herself to look on.

_Jenny?_

She was alive. Her eyes peered into the dank alleyway, straining to see through the sheet of black.

_I’m here._

_Be careful my love, he has a gun._

She could make out his silhouette, and the faint glimmer of metal reflecting against the moonlight. The sight that disturbed her the most was that of Vastra, on her knees. The gun pressed to the back of her head. Never had she seen Vastra look weak, but the impending threat of a bullet to the brain was enough to bring anyone to their knees. She had to settle the rage that built up, clenching her fists she forced herself to keep from shouting out. She had to move quietly, one misstep would surely seal Vastra’s fate. Her hand felt for the sword at her side, gripping the hilt she moved closer, grateful for the advantage of being at his rear. She was closing in, almost close enough.

_But I have a sword._

Vastra wanted to smile at Jenny’s confidence, she had found it at last. She could hear her faint footsteps, but even to her heightened senses she was almost silent. She was grateful that Jenny hadn’t made the same mistake she had, assuming that her sword and her venom were enough to bring any man down, yet the speed of a flintlock firing at close range bested both of the weapons at her disposal. She was quick, but not that quick. Vastra heard the song of metal against wood as Jenny unsheathed her blade, the sound sent a pleasurable chill down her spine. She felt every breath that left Jenny’s lips, every heartbeat that pounded through her chest. The sound that followed made her heart break; a quiet sob, and the ripping of flesh and crunching bone, the choking gurgle of a last reach for air. The sharp scent of blood filled her nose, tempting her primal urges to break through. She released the breath she had been holding, the crash of metal hitting hard stone echoed against the brickwork and made her turn to see the most heart wrenching site she had ever seen.

“Oh my love. Are you alright?”

Jenny sank to her knees, she held her blood soaked hands out in front of her, wanting them as far from her as possible, the arms length distance was still not enough. She shook uncontrollably at the sight as tears streamed from her eyes, gaze fixed on the twitching form in front of her. She had just killed a man.

****

Vastra held Jenny tightly in her arms; this was the fifth night in a row that she had woken up to the sound of her crying as she slept. Jenny hadn’t been the same since that night. She had barely spoken a word, flinched at her touch, and she couldn’t remember the last time she had looked at her, truly looked at her like she used to. Her eyes seemed empty, void of feeling and the spark that she loved had gone. Vastra knew this was her fault. She had prepared her for this physically and mentally. It was the emotional element that she had omitted completely, how could she have been so ignorant to think that taking someone’s life would have no affect on her, she was the purest, most innocent being she knew, and she had taken someone’s life. She could feel how it ripped through her, draining her very essence. She felt her own tears sting at her eyes.

“I’m so sorry Jenny.”

“Why?”

Vastra was surprised to hear a reply. “Because this is my fault.”

“No.”

“It is. And I don’t know what to do to make it better.” She felt a tear track down her cheek, hitting the pillow beneath her head.

“It’s not your fault.”

“You killed a man because of the life that we lead, the life that you lead because I asked you to.” She felt Jenny move in her arms, and readied herself for the rejection of having her remove herself from her arms. She hadn’t expected Jenny to turn and face her, to look at her for the first time in five days. Her breath caught in her throat as she tried to stifle the sob that threatened to spill over, Jenny looked so broken, and it broke her to see it. “You had to kill a man because of my oversight.”

“Is that what you think this is about?” Jenny was surprised at the harshness of her own words. This really wasn’t her fault.

“I’m not sure what else it could be.”

“Could it be the fact that if I had waited just five more minutes, if I had just sat there watching and waiting for you to come back,” She choked on the last words “you would be dead.”

“But I’m not.” She tentatively reached her hand up to tuck a lose strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m not, because of you.” Grateful that Jenny didn’t flinch at her touch, she placed a hand on her cheek, wiping away the stray drop of salt water with her thumb. “You need to talk to me Jenny.”

“I can’t.” She barely got the words out before she broke, tears flowed freely as her weak sobs filled the silent room. She curled into Vastra, she had truly missed being in her arms. Punishing herself was probably not the best solution to her guilt.

“Will you try, please? I want to help.” Vastra held her close as she ran her hands over her back attempting to soothe her. The cotton of her night dress was damp with sweat, evidence of her fitful sleep.

“I’m a coward. You asked me to come with you, for three weeks you have been asking me to come with you, and I said no. I thought I’d get in your way, I didn’t think I was ready.” She pulled away, just enough to be able to look at Vastra, the dim light of the fire gave her enough light to see the blue of her eyes. How she had missed those eyes. “I didn’t want you having to worry about me gettin’ hurt or lost or....”

“Or nothing.” She placed a soft kiss to Jenny’s lips, thankful that it was reciprocated. “The only thing you need to worry about is finding your confidence. You have been trained by a Silurian Warrior.” She received the laugh she had intended the comment to raise. “You fear nothing. You are brave, and determined, and very strong minded. I have seen your confidence, and it excites me.” She chuckled at the wink Jenny gave her. “I believe in you Jenny Flint. I will not force you to come with me, it is your decision. But do not make that decision based on inaccurate information.”

Jenny took in Vastra’s words, whether she agreed or not was irrelevant. Vastra believed in her, and she needed to learn to believe in herself. “I think we should invest in some trousers.”

“If that’s what it takes my love, we will get as many pairs of trousers as you need.” She pulled Jenny close, feeling her sigh as she held her tightly. “But you need to talk to me. I feel like I have been punished.”

“I’m sorry. I think I was punishing myself, in a way.” Jenny felt guilty all over again, “I love you, and I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too, immensely. I haven’t even had a chance to ask you how you feel, about, well, killing a man.”

Jenny wasn’t sure how she felt, she hadn’t thought about it, not really. Her mind had been wholly occupied with the nightmare of Vastra’s lifeless body. “I suppose I feel sorry for him. I don’t feel guilty. It was either you or him, and I made that decision.” She remembered the feeling of pushing the blade through his back, the resistance she felt of the muscle and bone as the metal eased slowly through his spine, the way it seemed to reverberate through the weapon, and to her hands, as if it were her hands themselves that were ripping through the flesh. The sound of him choking on his own blood as it filled his trachea rang in her ears. What she hadn’t expected was the overwhelming feeling that she was going to vomit. She got up from the bed, and ran towards the bathroom, threatening to spill the contents of her stomach on her way.

Jenny’s retching pulled Vastra from her confusion at her sudden departure from their bed, she made her way to the bathroom, taking a blanket with her, finding Jenny huddled over the toilet bowl. She wrapped the blanket over her shoulders, and pulled the lose tendrils of hair away from her face.

“Good job I didn’t have much to eat.” Jenny had managed to quell the incessant gagging, the images slowly fading. She moved to sit with her back to the wall, as Vastra came to sit beside her.

“I agree, that would have been a terrible waste.” She nudged Jenny with her elbow, “At least I know how you feel now.”

“I should probably feel like I don’t ever want to do that again, but I’m sure I would do it a hundred times over if it was a choice between you and them.” Her head came to rest on Vastra’s shoulder, taking her hand she laced their fingers together. “I mean the killing, not the throwing up.”

Vastra smiled, Jenny seemed to be getting some of her sense of humour back at least, even if she was still missing that glimmer of light in her eyes. “I hope you never have to do it again either,” Vastra reached over to flush the chain, “I mean the emptying of your stomach contents, it does make one feel rather queasy.”

“Sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry about my love. Now, it is three in the morning and I think we both need to get some sleep.” Vastra stood, holding her hand out for Jenny to take, “But I would be ever so grateful if you would brush your teeth first.”

“Since you asked so nicely.” Jenny watched as Vastra made her way back to the bedroom, she felt a sense of relief wash over her, but that nagging feeling of guilt hadn’t quite dissipated entirely. She had no idea what she would do without that woman. Making her way back to the bedroom, she decided not to take to her own side of the bed, but snuggled in behind Vastra on her side. “Better?”

“Mmm, minty fresh. Much better.”

“I know it’s late, or early, but I wondered if......”

Vastra turned in Jenny’s arms to face her “We have five days to make up for, you had better get on with it.”


	28. Chapter 28

“Got ya!” Jenny held fast at the collar in her grip, she wasn’t going to relent now she had finally managed to get hold of him. “I said I’d set the dog on ya. You stay right there while I get him.”

“No! I dint mean nuffin’ by it, jus a bit a fun thas all!”

“Fun? You got nothin’ better to do? You should be at school.”

“Look at me clothes. Does it look like I got money to put meself through school?”

“You can’t be more than eight, where’s your mum or your dad?” Jenny had to admit that she felt a bit sorry for the boy, he looked as though he had been up a chimney and then dragged through a hedge backwards. She didn’t feel sorry enough to let him get away with it though. “Right. Here’s how it’s gonna be. You owe me.”

“Ow dya work that one out?”

“Do you know how many times I’ve ‘ad to answer the door to Mr Nobody?” Jenny was sure it was well into the fifties but she wouldn’t let on that she had kept score. “You owe me at least a couple of hours work. Here’s the deal, you do something for me, and maybe next time instead of knocking the door and running away, maybe you should stick around and I might have something for you to do that would put a couple of coin in your pocket.”

“Sounds like a fair deal.” The boy shrugged in an attempt to loosen the grip on his shirt.

“Take this to the police sta...”

“Not the police station! They’ll ‘av a boot up me arse as soon as I set foot in there!”

“You are in no position to negotiate terms little ape. If I were in your situation, I would comply with Miss Flint. That hand at your collar is only centimetres from your scrawny neck, and I for one can confirm that her grip is enough to choke you if she so intended.” Vastra smirked from behind her veil; highly amused by the look of fright she had managed to induce. She left Jenny to her urchin, and exited the hallway as quickly as she had entered it.

Jenny raised her eyebrow at the boy, daring him to say a word. He gulped, but kept from voicing his objections further. “As I was sayin’, take this down to the station, and give it to Officer Berke. You come straight back here when you’ve done it, and I want a note from him to prove you been.”

“Yes miss. Tell your mistress I’m sorry.”

“Why you tellin’ her sorry! It’s me that’s had to answer the door!” Jenny huffed, irked by his cheekiness, “Besides, she’s not my mistress.”

“What is she then?”

“She’s my.......” Now that was a question she wasn’t sure she had an answer to, nor did she feel she had to answer, “None of your business that’s what she is. Now, off you go.”

“Yes miss, say sorry to ‘none of your business’.”

Jenny managed to deliver a swift clip to his ear before he had run off down the street, “little friggin’ bastard.” She slammed the front door, heading back to the kitchen to continue her previous task before she was rudely interrupted.

“You have such a beautiful grasp of the English language.” Vastra was amused at Jenny’s interaction with the boy, and how easily she slipped back into her slight cockney accent, complete with obscenities.

“Well, he is. I do feel a bit sorry for him though, doesn’t look like he’s had a good meal for a few weeks.” Jenny got back to her original task, “Anyway, I’m sure you’ve heard worse.”

“Yes, from you!”

“You do have quite a knack of making me curse, one way or another.” She placed a kiss to Vastra’s cheek as she carried the clean washing from the kitchen, leaving Vastra to her inappropriate thoughts. She pressed her nose into the clean linen, enjoying how it would always smell so much fresher in spring, as if the scent of the blossoming trees and dewy mornings had imprinted themselves on the fabric. She made her way to the top of the stairs, her glance landing on the bed in her old room, a smile settled on her face at the realisation of the fact that she probably loved the smell so much because it reminded her of her first night here.

“Jenny,”

“Jesus. You have got to stop sneaking up on me.” Jenny braced herself against the door frame, glad that she had a not managed to drop the perfectly folded sheets onto the floor.

“I do apologise, but I require your insight.” Vastra handed over the two letters that were in her hand, taking the load from Jenny’s arms as she did so. Following her into the room that had now become a place for Jenny to write, she took a seat on the table by the widow, waiting patiently as Jenny did the same, scanning through the documents. “The first arrived a week ago, it did seem an intriguing case but as there are no immediate victims, I did not think it something we would be able to find the time to investigate.”

“And the second?”

“That came this morning.”

“So they’re from two different people, two different parts of town, yet the circumstances are identical.” Jenny read through the letters again, she took up her pen and noted down the similarities between the two cases.

“Indeed. Although in the second instance....”

“They’re offering more money.”

“Well, yes, but that wasn’t the detail swayed me. There is a post scriptum.” She turned over the page, showing Jenny the added detail.

“What’s a dimensional shift?”

****

Jenny recapped the details into her notebook, although the incessant jolting of the carriage seemed to be against her. The journey to the second person of interest gave her a moment to wrap her head around the case at hand. After visiting the first client, the circumstances seemed to grow ever stranger. An apparition of sorts had started to appear at random moments, but always in the same place. The first was over a month ago, Mrs Caldwell had blamed it on her over consumption of home brewed scrumpy, the offer to taste was politely declined by Vastra, however Jenny was happy to indulge, regretting it after the first mouthful had turned her head giddy. On the second and third instances Mrs Caldwell was quite sure that she was not inebriated. It was by the fourth and fifth instances, seemingly scattered throughout the following weeks, where the details became even more obscure. It had started to speak, each time reciting the exact the same words, ‘ _Programming error.’_ An odd phrase for a ghost, Jenny thought to herself.

“What do you think it means?” Jenny looked to Vastra who seemed to be deep in prayer, her hands held palm against palm, eyes closed to the outside world.

“Hmm? I’m sorry my dear, I am feeling slightly under the weather. What was the question?” Vastra opened her eyes, seeming to flinch at the bright sunlight gleaming through the carriage window as she did so.

“What’s wrong?” Jenny pulled the curtains to, sensing Vastra’s unease.

“It’s nothing, a mild case of cephalgia.” Vastra noted Jenny’s confusion, “Head ache.”

“You need a rest.” Jenny put her hand to Vastra’s forehead, not sure why she was expecting her to be anything but cold. “I was just wondering what you think programming error means, it’s an odd phrase.”

“At this point I cannot be sure.” She sighed heavily, the mere task of thinking seemed to cause further discomfort. She sensed the carriage coming to a halt, “My dear, would you mind taking this one on your own?”

“Why don’t you go off home, I’ll catch the omnibus back to the house.” Jenny had to admit, Vastra didn’t look well. Sitting in the back of the carriage was the last place she should be. “Get to bed and get some sleep and I’ll see you later.” She placed a kiss to Vastra’s cheek as she stepped out of the carriage, “Back to Paternoster please mate.” She watched as the carriage continued on through the market before she stepped up to the front door step. Before she had a chance to knock, the door opened revealing quite a dishevelled looking man.

“Are you the Great Detective? I must say, I was expecting you to look a little more impressive.”

Jenny took offence at first, but agreeing whole heartedly that Vastra did have an impressive aura; she decided to let the comment go. “I’m her associate, Jenny Flint. I’m afraid Madame is unable to join me today.”

“Ah I see. Please, come in Miss Flint.”

****

“So it’s here you say, where it appears each time?” Jenny stood at the bottom of the staircase, notepad in hand as she scanned the area for anything untoward.

“Yes, every time. It’s almost as if he is here, and then not. Now, admittedly my knowledge of creatures of a spectral nature is somewhat lacking, but, I would have been inclined to think he would be more.....transparent.”

“You mean see through?” Jenny wanted to be clear, in case he did in fact mean that he expected the ghost to be obvious in his intent.

“Yes. It is as if it is a real man, I could reach out and touch him, if I was to be so inclined. He doesn’t seem to hang about for more than a few seconds though. And each time, he repeats the same words, _‘In the dimensional shift’”_

“And you’re sure that’s what he said?” Jenny was determined to take down all of the information as presented, she would have to relay it to Vastra in as much detail as possible.

“Well, not having heard the word dimensional before, it did take a few tries to get it right, but I’m as sure as I am alive. It is a rather curious word, much like his appearance. He rather looked like he was on his way up the wooden hill.”

“So he was wearing a night shirt.” Jenny made a note, the similarities in the case were starting to mount. “Thank you Mr Gardner, I’ll have Madame look over my notes, I’ll be sure to make a house call if I need anything else.” She was keen to get back, it wasn’t like Vastra to shirk her duties, or to suffer from headaches.

“Thank you Miss Flint, although hurry not. I’m rather fond of having the company, albeit quite brief!”

“Of course. I’ll be on my way.” Jenny left the home of Mr Gardner, he was a meek man, but kind enough. It was rather a glum thought that a man well into his sixties was quite alone, she started to wonder what had happened to his wife, or whether he had ever had one. Her thoughts turned to Vastra, as they often did. Would she still have her for company when she was in her sixties? She truly hoped so. She made her way through the market, hailing a cab as she did so. The thought of trundling back home on the omnibus wasn’t appealing, the looming clouds were threatening a typical April downpour. She stepped into the carriage, eager to get back home before the heavens opened. Jenny took out her notes, ensuring that she had taken down everything as it was said, misinterpretation was a common error when it came to solving crimes, or in this case, mysterious apparitions. A word in the wrong place, or a word replaced for a shorter synonym purely for the convenience of the writer had led to innocent people being convicted of a crime they did not commit, and of course, vice versa. Sadly, such cases were not uncommon, she and Vastra have had to unravel one or two themselves.

The carriage pulled into Paternoster Row, just as Jenny looked up from her notes. The short journey thankfully passed in a flash, although not quick enough to escape the rain. She stepped out from the carriage, and ran for the door before her clothes soaked through. She would make her way to the solarium concluding that, this being the warmest room of the house, this is where she would find Vastra. She didn’t need to get that far.

“What are you doing sat on the stairs?” A half dressed Silurian sat on the bottom step, pen in hand, tea cup precariously balanced on the banister was not the vision she had expected to see on entering her home.

“Reading.” Vastra stated as a matter of fact, as if it was completely obvious. Her eyes didn’t leave the page in front of her, as she scribbled notes over the black print of the newspaper.

“Right, silly me.” Jenny rolled her eyes as she hung her coat on the rack, apparently she was going to have to be more specific in her questioning. “Why are you reading on the stairs half naked?”

“There is an item in the Times that has peaked my interest.” Vastra stood, oblivious to Jenny’s raking eyes at her current state.

Jenny was still completely confused, and admittedly slightly aroused at Vastra in her corset. “You were supposed to be resting.” She took the offered paper, noticing a circled article in the agony column. She moved through the house to the kitchen as she read, Vastra following on behind like a puppy waiting for a treat. She set the kettle on the stove and sat at the table, as Vastra sat opposite.

“Uncanny, don’t you think?”

“Except this woman thinks her husband ‘as gone mad.” Jenny set the paper down, finally looking over to Vastra. She reached over and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Thought you had a headache?”

“I did, it seems to have settled somewhat.” She pointed back to the paper. “I think we need to contact the Times and see if we can have a contact address for Mrs V Concerned.”

“I don’t think that’s her real name.”

“I am not a complete imbecile my dear.” Vastra pointedly looked to the kettle as it whistled on the stove, hoping for another warm pot of tea. “How was the interview at Hosier Lane?”

“Pretty much the same as the one before, except this time it said something different.” Jenny placed the full teapot onto the tray, and took her notepad from her skirt pocket, “In the dimensional shift. Although it’s still just as odd.”

“Hmmm, odd indeed.” Vastra reached over to take the notebook from Jenny, taking out a clean page. “Programming error in the dimensional shift.” She looked back to the article in the Times, “Mrs V Concerned is.....concerned about her husband’s constant proclamation of a ghoul in his study, repeating the phrase _assistance required to reboot.”_

“Do you think he’s lost his shoes?” Jenny noticed the confusion on Vastra’s face at her question. “His boots?”

“No my dear.” It was understandable that Jenny was not familiar with the word, but it was a curious literal translation, the vision of a computer requiring new boots did amuse her somewhat. “It is a term applied to technology requiring attention, usually by means of simply turning it off and on again.” Jenny’s blank look prompted her to continue. “I think someone is trapped in a time loop.”

“Right. I need another cup of tea. And you need to put some clothes on or I’m not going to be able to concentrate.”

****

“Why didn’t you go back?” The conversation over technology and computers had gone over Jenny’s head mostly, but from what she understood, it was from the future. Or the past. Or another planet. Vastra had explained that, back in her own time technology was highly advanced, she had tried to explain the concept of microchips but the image only conjured up images of her sat at the sea side eating a very small portion of fish and chips. She had started to wonder why, if they were such an advanced species, and she was found by a time travelling spaceman, did she not go home?

“Well, there are many reasons. I would imagine that my returning to my own time with the knowledge that apes had taken over our world could have possibly prompted my people to rethink their strategy, which in turn could have rewritten the whole existence of the human race.” Vastra smiled at Jenny’s wide eyed expression, “Even if the Doctor had wiped any memories of the event, I think it would have been a little cruel of him to send me back just for the same fate to happen over again, on a continuous cycle.”

“That would be a bit mean.”

“Besides, the past version of me would still be there.” This seemed to confuse Jenny even more, “The most important reason of all is that I had to find you of course.”

Jenny smiled at the thought, her fingers idly caressing the indent of the inscription on her pen, The words had always been at the forefront of her mind, but she had wondered how much of this life was truly her own creation. There were so many moments in which one alternate decision could have altered everything, not only in her life but everyone who ever was or is to be. She carried on with her notes, afraid thinking any further on the subject would render her unconscious through sheer confusion.

Vastra had noticed how Jenny had glanced at her pen, “You know, those words are not my own.”

“Who’s are they?”

“My mother’s. Well, loosely translated.” Vastra recalled the moment in her mind, she could still hear her voice. She repeated the words to Jenny in her mother tongue, surprised at how much she had missed using it.

Jenny had heard the language before, mostly during their more intimate moments when she had managed to render her unable to recall any sufficiently appropriate English, it had always seemed such a poetic dialect, and the way she had translated the phrase made it ever more significant, it was breathtakingly beautiful. “Do you miss her?”

“Of course, but I mourned her long ago.” She smiled at Jenny’s concern. “She died before we went into hibernation. These were her last words to me, and I think waking up here has given me the opportunity to fully live by them. Now, back to the matter at hand.” She placed a hand on Jenny’s after noticing a hint of a tear threatening in her eyes. “It’s ok my love, it was a long time ago.”

“I know, but she was still your mother.” Jenny wanted to know more about her, but she had the feeling it upset Vastra more than she let on, she didn’t want to push the issue.

“Maybe one day your mother will remember how wonderful you are Jenny, she truly is missing out.” She placed a hand on Jenny’s cheek as the tear that threatened moments before finally fell.

“So, how do we get him out of the time loop?” Jenny felt her own mother didn’t deserve her thoughts, it was time to get back to work.

“Set a trap of course.”


	29. Chapter 29

A knock the door interrupted Vastra’s concentration. “That will be your cretin.” The feeble backhanded slap to her arm knocked the precariously held screw from her grasp.

“He’s not a cretin. His name is Arthur.” She watched as Vastra had somehow managed to catch the screw before it had fallen to the floor, her reflexes were astounding, and at times slightly annoying. “And if it weren’t for him you would have had to go out and get your nuts and bolts yourself.” Jenny tutted at Vastra’s look, knowing full well she was implying that it would have been her that was sent out on the errand.

“Arthur then. There is a note in my pocket, could you please give it to him.” Vastra tilted her head, gesturing to her side, prompting Jenny to reach for it herself given that her hands were otherwise occupied. She regretted it instantly as Jenny had managed to find her ticklish spot through her dress with ease. She dropped what she was holding on to the laboratory table, her arms wrapping themselves around Jenny’s waist in an instant.

“Don’t! That tickles!” Jenny couldn’t help the screaming laugh that escaped as Vastra picked her up from behind before she had managed to flee the room. She squirmed as fingers pinched at the skin of her waist, her arms and legs flailing quite dangerously too close to the glass jars and bottles on the sideboard as she was held just above reach of the floor.

“Then my mission is complete.” Vastra kissed the sensitive spot of skin below Jenny’s ear, just as the knock at the door sounded again. “I would go myself but I’d probably frighten him away.” She set Jenny down, allowing her to straighten herself before she headed to answer the door.

She returned to her place at the workbench, her attention drawn back to the contraption she was hoping would draw the being from the corrupted flow of time. Even after having to dismantle parts of her other experiments for relevant items, she was still short of one or two. She heard Jenny walk back into the room, but before she managed to peer into the box that she had set down on the table, she felt Jenny’s lips on hers, the intense kiss that followed made her glad she was sat down.

“What was that for?” She managed to get out once she had recovered.

“For Arthur’s new shoes.” Jenny had had to read the note in the envelope to Arthur, illiteracy was sadly prevalent among a lot of the children who called the street their home. Vastra’s letter had told him to visit the cobbler on Duke Street, where she had left enough money for him to have a new pair of shoes fitted. Jenny wasn’t sure what she had expected, but it wasn’t that.

“I do hope that is not how he requested you thank me.”

“No, it was more like: “Cor, fanks miss! What a blinder!”

Vastra laughed at Jenny’s impression of the urchin. Despite his previous misdemeanours, his appearance over the last few days had been rather helpful. If he was going to be running about after them, he would require a decent pair of shoes. “He needed to be adequately heeled, consider it an investment.”

Jenny knew it was Vastra’s kind heart, rather than a business-like investment that prompted her to treat their newest employee. “Still, I think it made me fall in love with you all over again.” She couldn’t resist kissing Vastra again, only this time Vastra was ready for her. Jenny felt herself being pulled onto her lap so she was now straddling her thighs, “I thought you had work to do.” She would never be in a position to deny Vastra anything, for this would in turn deny herself, but she also didn’t like to be a distraction.

“I do.” Vastra’s hands found their way into Jenny’s hair, loosening the bun with practiced ease. “But it is nice to have something to look at whilst I’m doing it.” She halted their kisses, reaching around Jenny to the contraption on the bench, “I will need to show you how it works, you will have to set it up alone. I refuse to suffer another headache.” After visiting Mrs Garrison (Nee Mrs V Concerned) it was determined that the disturbance caused by the shifting dimensions was the cause of her pain, having had another bout on entering the premises.

Jenny turned herself on Vastra’s lap, so she was now facing the table. She reached into the box that had been brought by Arthur, pulling out various sizes of screw and odd looking discs of metal the size of small coins. “What’s this for?”

“This is what will power the device. This is copper,” She stacked the reddish brown discs in to one pile, and the silver ones into another, “these are made of zinc.”

Jenny watched on as Vastra dipped a small piece of cloth into a glass of water. “What does that do?”

“This is salt water.” She stacked the copper and zinc alternately; each set of discs separated by a small piece of damp cloth, and attached two pieces of thin wire to each end. “The chemical reaction between the two metals and the salt water creates power, much like electricity, but this is more suitable when requiring portability.” Having to reach around Jenny to complete her work was an inconvenience she was happy to endure, she enjoyed having her so close. “This then goes into here,” She uncovered a small opening in the device, slotting in the discs where they seemed to fit perfectly. “Did you know that you can create an electrical current with a potato?”

“No, I can’t say that I did.” Jenny was watching keenly as Vastra worked, the fact taking a little longer to process than usual due her intense concentration coupled with the soft breath caressing her ear, “Did you say a potato?”

“Yes.” Vastra laughed gently at Jenny’s unbelieving tone. “Now, this switch here is what will power on the device. It is a little rudimentary, so you need to ensure that this light here, is glowing red. If not, you will need to reboot it.”

“Turn it off and then on again.”

“Indeed. Now, I just need to...” She riffled around in the box for the last item on her list, “Hold this.” She passed the device to Jenny, grateful for the extra pair of hands. “Ah, perfect.” She pressed herself into Jenny’s back in an attempt to get a closer look at the intricate wiring, smiling at the way she could feel Jenny’s heartbeat grow faster at her proximity. One last use of the soldering iron, and her work was complete. “There.”

“What is it?” It was an understatement to say that Jenny was impressed by Vastra’s workmanship, but she had no idea what she was looking at.

“It is a Time Elapsing Dimensional Disintegration Inverter.”

“Catchy.”

“I like to think so.” Vastra’s grasp of sarcasm still wasn’t completely perfect. “I’m hoping it will reverse the effect of whatever device has thrown our so called spectre into a continuous loop. We will set it tomorrow, I cannot be sure that this won’t rip him to shreds, but I only have limited components at my disposal.”

“Well let’s hope it works then. Can’t imagine Mr Gardner will be happy if we spoil his carpet.” Jenny turned to look at Vastra, “Have you finished then?”

”For now, yes.” A smirk grew on Vastra’s lips, noticing the glint in Jenny’s eyes, “Although I do....” She didn’t get a chance to finish her sentence before Jenny’s lips connected with hers as she returned to her original position of straddling her thighs.

“No more work.” Jenny peppered kisses along Vastra’s neck.

“My dear, work is the farthest thing from my mind. What I was going to say, before your discourteous interruption,” She gasped at the sharp bite to her skin, “Was that there is a matter in the bedroom that has need of attention.”

“And what might that be?”

“Well, there is a box, mostly forgotten since Christmas, that I think requires our investigation.” Vastra’s eye were burning into Jenny’s, she watched the way her lips grew into a sly smile at one side.

“Well, it would be rude to leave a gift unused.”

****

“Please don’t stop.”

“Never.”

“Jenny...”

“Yes?”

“Jenny...”

“Yes?”

_I love you_

Jenny could feel Vastra tense beneath her, her nails clawed into her back, in any other circumstance the pain would have been almost unbearable, but Jenny felt nothing but pleasure as Vastra rode out the waves of blissful orgasm. Thighs wrapped around her waist in a vice grip, halted her movements further, pulling her in deeper. The rumbling purr resonated from Vastra’s chest and echoed through the room, the sound of Jenny’s name on her lips the only words that filled the air. She was sure she would never hear anything sweeter.

“I love you.” Vastra repeated her words, aloud this time.

“You just said that.”

“I wanted the rest of the world to know.”

Jenny smiled at the sentiment, her lips connecting with Vastra’s as she did. “I love you too, so very much.” She kissed her deeper, the movement causing Vastra to flinch at the sudden pressure inside her. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’d be quite happy for you to carry on but I’m not entirely sure I am able to move.” Vastra pulled her closer, soaking up the intense heat that she was radiating. She couldn’t help the hum of pleasure that arose from her throat as Jenny pulled back her hips, leaving her empty but entirely satisfied.

“You don’t have to move.” Jenny teased, she snuggled into Vastra’s side, her head resting in the crook of her neck, fingers idly following the lines of Vastra’ scales as she felt the heartbeat beneath her hands slow to its usual leisurely rhythm.

“I’m not sure that I ever want to.” She released her hold on Jenny while she made herself comfortable, loosening the straps on her thighs before she returned to her position at Vastra’s side. She couldn’t think of a more interesting way to spend a Tuesday afternoon. She immersed herself in the stillness of the moment, enjoying how Jenny’s feather light touch brought her back down. She closed her eyes, following her fingertips in her mind, pre-empting the direction of their travel, it was a journey they had taken many times, yet each one taking a different route. The destination was always the same, the very faint, almost invisible scar between her breasts. Jenny had never asked about it, she wasn’t certain that she had even noticed it, but it’s where her fingertips always lingered, before the journey started over again. The enchantment they seemed to emit through her body calmed her, her eyelids grew heavy as Jenny’s steady breath against her scales whispered her into a dreamscape.

_The heat of the sun burned through her skin, she held her palms flat to the ground, feeling for the vibration, sensing the change of direction. Breath held still in her lungs, silence fell through the dawn air as her eyes fixed on the pray beast as it neared, unaware of her presence. The blade held tight in her grip as she closed in, the stench in her nostrils growing stronger, begging her to release the air in her lungs. She kept her sights fixed on the prominent incisors, there would be no room for error, one wrong move would bring promise of detrimental injury. Each soundless footstep was perfectly placed, she spoke the words of sacrificial prayer to her goddess, and asked for her protection in return. She lifted the knife at her side, her aim on the soft flesh of the mammal’s neck. Her final step fell heavy as the sound of the warning sirens blared from the city, her ears ringing from the noise, heart racing at what it meant. Her only mistake was to turn her back on the beast, the heavy blow to her back knocked her to the floor, the knife in her hands digging in to her chest as she fell forward, the beast gratefully retreating into the forest. She had to get up, she had to run. She clung to her chest, blood seeping from the gash and through her fingers, thankful that it was only skin deep, frustrated by the ineffectiveness of her armour against the razor sharp blade. She ran, counting down to imminent destruction. Relenting that she was not going to make it, she slowed her pace, succumbing to the inevitable end, until a voice called to her, pleading with her to run......run.......run......._

Vastra woke to the sound of the fire crackling in the hearth, the setting sun glowing through the window. The warmth at her side had dissipated with the disappearance of her bed mate. As there was no other reason to remain indulgent in the art of afternoon napping, she went in search of tea, and of course, Jenny.

****

Jenny sat in the study, reading through the case file that had been dropped off by the inspector. She was grateful that the knock at the door hadn’t woken Vastra, and also irritated that it had woken her. She did enjoy the look on the inspectors face when she opened the door in just a dressing gown, he deserved the slight embarrassment for disturbing their afternoon, however inappropriate her appearance.

“You said no more work.”

Jenny smiled up at Vastra as she entered the room. She always loved the way she looked when she awoke from sleep, as though she was intoxicated, high on opium. “The inspector called, I didn’t want to wake you. Not sure this is anything other than a case of some punters tryin’ to get a free ride. It’s finding them that’ll be the problem.” Vastra came to sit next to her, perching on the desk as she read the file over Jenny’s shoulder.

“That sounds more like physical castigation than an attempt at free gratification.” Vastra thought the descriptions of the victim’s injuries were not of someone forcing themselves on another, but more akin to a punishment. “It is distressing that she had made it as far as the hospital, only to succumb to death the following day.”

“At least she didn’t die on the streets.” She would argue that this would be the worst place to end life, cold and destitute, forgotten and ignored by all that pass by in your last moments. She had come across one such occasion, and older man who used to make his home in the alley between the bank and the barbers, she had spoken to him on many occasions, if only a polite _good morning_ or _good evening_. She had seen him one afternoon, his head resting on the pavement as people stepped over him or around him. She could tell by the blank look in his eyes that he had died, yet that fact mattered to no one. She found solace in knowing that Emma Smith had at least died with someone by her side and a roof over her head. Jenny closed the file with a promise to return to it, unwilling to let their impromptu afternoon off go wasted. “Tea?”

“When do I ever say no to tea.” Vastra accepted the kiss as Jenny moved to leave the room.

“When there’s something else on offer.” Jenny winked as she left the room, Vastra following behind without a missing beat. Jenny laughed at the huff of disappointment from the Silurian as she set the kettle on the stove to boil.

“Tea it is then.”


	30. Chapter 30

The trap had been set. Six days ago. Jenny had visited Fred Gardner on a daily basis to check the device, and had found herself growing fond of their little chats. She would sit with him, drinking tea and listening to his numerous stories, adventures he had been on, the fascinating people he had met. It wasn’t until the tale of the bearded mermaid that had married an otter that Jenny had begun to wonder how many were actually true, but she had enjoyed them none the less. She hoped that her company was as much a joy to him as it was her, even chipping in with her own stories of ancient reptiles and time travelling aliens. She knew that he took as much truth from her tales as she did his, but she could tell he was craving human companionship, and she was happy enough to oblige, even if it was only for half an hour a day.

“Ma’am, I’m off to Fred’s, see if we’ve had any movement.” Jenny peered around the door to the study, Vastra was deep in concentration as usual. “Ma’am?”

“I’m sorry my love, of course. Please make sure to check the molecular filter for dust, it has been sat for some time now.”

“I will.” She had done the same thing each day, without the need for prompting. Having spent the last few days reading up on the various notes Vastra had made on the subject, she was quite sure she had picked up a little knowledge of her own. Molecular biology made for interesting bedtime reading.

Jenny had enjoyed the walk to Mr Gardner’s each morning, she would pass the sweet shop on Giltspur Street and pick up a quarter of lemon sherbets to share with him as they recounted their stories over tea. However, on this occasion she hadn’t quite made it as far before she heard the sound of Fred’s voice carrying through the air.

“Miss Flint! Miss Flint! There you are.” He leaned forward, hands resting on his knees as he stopped to catch his breath. “He’s here. It worked!”

“Is he in one piece?” Jenny picked up her pace and walked the last quarter of a mile to Fred’s in record time, although she was not quite ready to be greeted with disembodied parts. She hoped that Vastra’s contraption had managed to work despite its basic components. She looked back to see that Fred was straggling on behind but keeping up well for an old man.

“He is, I made him a cuppa then came right away to find you. Didn’t know if you’d be coming this morning.”

“I’ve been coming every morning for six days, what made you think that would be any different? You need to slow down, you’ll do yourself a mischief.” His wheezing was a slight concern, but he was still on his feet which was something to be thankful for.

Fred reached for the house keys in his pocket as they neared the front door, “I think I got a bit over excited. He’s an odd looking fellow, but seems nice enough!”

They stepped into the hallway, Jenny was tentative in her steps, he may have come across as a pleasant enough person to Fred, but at this present time, they had no idea where he had come from. She peered through the drawing room door, her eyes landing on the man sat quite comfortably on the settee, china cup in one hand, an open book in the other.

“Hello....” Jenny wasn’t sure how to greet him, maybe she should have gone back to get Vastra, she’d always been a little better at conversing with oddities.

“Hi, you must be Miss Flint. Fred here tells me you are the one to thank for getting me out of that hellish nightmare.” He held out his hand for Jenny to shake by way of a greeting.

Jenny looked at the offered hand, it took a few seconds for her to register the fact that he was expecting her to shake it. “Uh, yes. I mean, no. Well, partly. It was my Vas...Madame...My mistress who managed to put the device together, I just switched it on.” She shook his hand as she entered the room fully. His clothes were indeed odd, each of the three cases had described his state of dress as night ware, or a gown of sorts, but it seemed more of a long raincoat, gleaming white, almost like a doctor would wear, but a little more flamboyant. “Where you from then?”

“Wow, straight down to business. I like your style. I’m Jason.”

“Jenny. Nice to meet you.” Jenny was perplexed by the accent. It was definitely English, but it was off slightly. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it. London was home to all sorts, from all over England, she was quite sure that she had heard her fair few of the numerous accents from across the country, but this was different, almost lazy.

“So, it’s probably easier to tell you when I’m from. 2049 to be exact. I’ve managed to contact my team back at base, they’re sending someone to pick me up. Got a duff transporter, been stuck in there for hours. Shouldn’t be too much longer.” He looked down to his wrist, checking the time on his watch. “Another cuppa wouldn’t go amiss though Fred my man?”

****

“Turns out he was only stuck in there for a couple of hours, for him anyway. Kept throwin’ him backwards and forwards then back again. Something to do with the time thingy getting mixed up with the location thingy.” Jenny leaned into Vastra’s touch, fingers combing through her hair as she wrote the case up in her notebook.

“How curious.” Vastra listened intently to Jenny’s retelling of the morning’s escapade, she loved how the excitement of it all caused the timbre of her voice to rise and fall, her words coming out twice as fast as usual.

“2049! Can you believe it. That’s hundreds of years away.”

“A hundred and sixty one to be exact.”

“What do you think it’s like?” Jenny looked up as she pondered, as if the answer would be written on the ceiling. 

“I may one day find out.” Vastra regretted it the moment the words had left her lips.

“You mean with time travel? I suppose if your doctor friend comes back maybe we can ask him to takes us!” Jenny turned to look at Vastra, the excitement she had felt at the idea faded instantly at the solemn look on Vastra’s face. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t mean time travel.” She smiled at Jenny in an attempt to conceal her sadness. “I may yet live that long.”

“You might live for another hundred and sixty years?” She turned herself fully so she was now looking at Vastra face on. Her pen and notepad now forgotten at her side.

“For me that’s half a lifetime. I have barely lived a quarter.” She put her arms around Jenny as she came to sit by her side, her head coming to rest on her shoulder.

“That’s a long time.” Jenny was struggling to imagine how it would feel to live that long, as everyone around you comes and goes, leaving nothing but memories. She wondered if she would end up leaving Vastra in that way, would they be together long enough for her to be lost to death? It was a morbid thought, but putting herself in Vastra’s place, she was not sure how she would have the strength to get through them all without her. Would there be someone else after her? It would be selfish of her to want anything other than that, she didn’t want her to be alone, but she didn’t like the thought of her loving someone else, and she hated that she felt that way.

“I don’t want to live any of them if they are not with you.” Vastra pulled Jenny close, as if it would prevent the inevitable from happening.

“Best you get inventing something that’ll make me live as long as you then.” Jenny was of course joking, at the rate the human body aged, she would be a walking toothless bag of bones by the time she was a hundred and fifty, her imagination did not paint a pretty picture. “You better live them. And you better do it for me.” She placed a kiss to Vastra’s cheek, a full stop to the depressing turn of their conversation.

“I gather by that time they have made great advances in technology, young Jason being proof of that fact.” Vastra went back to Jenny’s original question, “I’d like to think they would have made advances of a social aspect too. It is depressing state of affairs when half of the population are not allowed to have opinions on who governs their laws, purely because they do not have the appropriate genitalia.”

Jenny grimaced at the last word, but she wholly agreed. “I hope so. Enough about genitals, well, male ones anyway. Is it bedtime?”

****

“Who’s that?”

“Shh.”

“Is that who we’re lookin’ for?”

“Shh.”

“He looks a bit shifty.”

Vastra placed a hand over Jenny’s mouth. She watched intently as the man passed them on the street below, the cover of the abandoned building was enough to obscure the sight of them, but sound of Jenny’s incessant questions seemed to carry through the night air, it wasn’t loud enough to blow their cover but it wasn’t quiet enough to be completely discreet either. She waited until he had passed by before she answered. “Don’t know, no it’s not, yes he does.”

“Sorry, think I’m just a bit excited.” She whispered as quietly as she could. She shivered as the cold night air enveloped her. She felt Vastra’s arm wrap around her, rubbing her hands up and down her arms to create friction in an attempt to warm her up, all while her attention remained focussed completely on the doorway below.

“Him. Follow me.”

Jenny did as she was told. Grateful for choosing to wear trousers. She did well to keep up as they moved through and out of the building, she had never seen Vastra move in such a way, it was mesmerising. She couldn’t explain it, but it was though she was a few seconds ahead of herself, like each movement she made had been practiced, a dance routine recited a hundred times over.

“Jenny, you take that path, I will follow from this direction, I think it best if I head for the roof.” She looked upward as if to survey her root of assent, “We do not need to apprehend, we just need to know his destination. I have a feeling he is used to covering his tracks, he may attempt to double back on himself. And please, be careful.” She gave Jenny one last look before she headed for the roof.

Jenny watched as Vastra scaled the wall with ease, she had no doubt that she would be able to make it herself, but she wouldn’t ever look as graceful and adapt as Vastra had done. She walked the path ahead, hoping that they hadn’t already lost him. She neared the lit road, keeping herself well away from the flickering gas lamps. He hadn’t gotten more than a hundred yards further when he took a sudden turn, straight towards her.

“Jenny.”

She heard the whisper from above, making her heart jump a little more than she thought it could take at this present moment. She looked up to see Vastra perched precariously on a narrow sill, her hand held out for Jenny to take. She reached up and took the offered escape route, using all of her strength to pull herself up further before their cover was blown. She watched as Vastra moved to the other side of the flat roof, the top half of her body hung over the ledge as she tried to catch the next movements of their suspect. Jenny followed as closely as she could, as carefully as she could, hopping between buildings as gracefully as her legs would allow.

“He’s gone.” Vastra had come to an abrupt halt at the edge of the terrace, “This must be his home.”

“So what now then?” Jenny looked to the street below, she had no idea where they were. Vastra had taken a seat, legs dangling over the eaves. She followed Vastra’s prompt to sit as she patted the space beside her.

“We wait. One hour. If he does not exit the premises within this time I would assume this is where he will remain for the evening. This means, that although we cannot be certain that it is his home, at least we have ascertained that this address has some significance.” Vastra took the moment of quiet to centre herself, gazing up at the clear summer night sky. It was one of the only things that had remained constant since her childhood. The stark blackness of it all seemed to calm her. She closed her eyes and soaked up the warm breeze as it caressed her cool scales, until she was abruptly interrupted by the rustling of paper. It wasn’t loud, but it was there. Almost if someone was attempting to be discreet yet adamant to complete their task. She looked to her right, stopping Jenny in her tracks.

“What?” Jenny popped the lemon sherbet into her mouth before screwing up the paper bag and secreting it away into her pocket.

“My love, I think you may have a problem.” Vastra smiled at the look of pure innocence in Jenny’s eyes.

“I didn’t know how long we’d be out.”

“Not long enough for you to suffer withdrawal symptoms.” She wrapped her arm over Jenny’s shoulder, pulling her back to lay with her as she looked back up to the stars. “Do you know the constellations?” She looked to face Jenny, admiring the way the moon reflected in her eyes, as if battling the spark that lived within them.

“I know Orion, that’s him over there.” She pointed to the three stars lined evenly in the sky.

“And what about that one?” Vastra pointed to the star that stood out from them all.

“Don’t know.” Jenny wasn’t even looking, her attention entirely on the woman by her side.

“That is Sirius. It is believed to be the brightest star in the sky. It is once said that Sirius was.....” She looked to Jenny, momentarily distracted by the rustling of the paper bag once more. “My dear, can you not find something else to occupy your mouth, it is most distracting.” Vastra watched as she threw the bag to her side, forgotten in favour of fulfilling her request as Jenny’s lips connected with hers.

“If you insist.”

“This is not the most effective means of espionage.” Vastra voiced her objections, but her hands had decided not to agree.

“When else are we going to get the opportunity to be out under the stars like this.” Jenny complied as Vastra pushed her onto her back, settling herself on top of her, hands pinned to the roof tiles.

“If you are to be joining me more often, then I would say quite frequently.” If anything was going to persuade Jenny to accompany her again, this would be her last resort.

“Try and stop me.”

“Never.”


	31. Chapter 31

There was an uneasiness permeating the air, the stillness seemed all too still, the silence seemed all too quiet. Night after night they had been led down the same path, to the same conclusion, which in this case was a complete lack of conclusion, and it infuriated the Silurian. She knew who the police were looking for, but she had no reason to point them in his direction, at least none which she had found within the usual constraints of human possibility. The endless nights seemed such a waste of their time when each morning they would return no closer to the truth, but she did not relent when such contemptible misdeeds were going unpunished. Yet the unsettled feeling that encompassed her at this moment was reason to call it a night. The streets of Whitechapel were foul and uncivilised at the best of times, the gang of violent thieves currently under their surveillance did nothing to improve its reputation. Something didn’t feel right; the thought of waiting around to find out what it was did not sit well, not while Jenny was with her.

“My dear, I think it’s time we left.” She moved from her position, now perched precariously on the edge of the roof as she held out her hand for Jenny to take.

“Already?” She took the offered hand, accepting the assistance in descending the wall into the dark alleyway. She had heard the bells of St Mary-le-Bow church just a few minutes before as they struck once, it had been routine to remain on watch until at least three in the morning. “It’s still early. He hasn’t left the den yet.”

“I am certain he will be no use to anyone once he has had his fill of opiates. Besides, he is not my concern at present.” Vastra could not shake the discomfort that had settled in her gut, it was not often that a warrior would feel such fear, but neither would a warrior ignore the obvious signal to retreat. “I want you to go home Jenny, and I most certainly am coming with you.” She led them down towards the path behind George Yard, avoiding the front entrances and windows, yet keeping their attention fixed on any movement in the dim light.

“I’ve never liked this place.” Jenny’s whisper only just managed to escape her trembling lips, the apprehension in Vastra’s words and her demeanour seemed to seep into Jenny as a terror like no other. Caution and in some sense respect are the emotions she had always picked up from Vastra when hunting criminals, but never fear. Not until this moment. Their pace slowed, she felt the hand in hers grip her tighter, almost painfully so.

Vastra motioned silently for Jenny to stop, she relinquished the grip on her hand as she closed her eyes, breathing in the scent around them. Her tongue flicked out to taste the air, the unmistakable odour of human blood seemed to overtake her senses. It has always been a scent among many others that she was unable to escape from since beginning her time with the humans, yet had managed to learn to ignore it over the years. But this was a stench so strong, it was both close, and of an alarming amount. In normal circumstances it would be a matter of intrigue, but this was a fresh kill, within the last few moments. It was doubtful that the loss of this amount of blood would leave the victim able to draw another breath, and it was quite probable that the perpetrator was still in the vicinity. It was time for them to go. She moved a little faster, urging Jenny to keep up, but the footsteps that reached her ears stopped them in their tracks once again. She pushed Jenny flush against the wall, and pressed her own back against it, her arm held tight over Jenny’s waist preventing any movement.

_Be silent, there is someone here._

Jenny looked to the end of the passageway, just as a figure in shadow appeared out of the darkness. His pace was slow and deliberate, akin to one on an evening stroll. His footsteps stopped as if something had piqued his interest, he turned towards them as Jenny held her breath, unable to quell the fearful panting otherwise. He seemed to look right at them, yet his distance and the darkness prevented them from seeing his face. The silhouette of a gentleman’s top hat and cane were however, quite unmistakable. Jenny felt Vastra’s grip around her waist tighten even further, threatening the breath she was holding to be pushed from her lungs. She could feel it burn in her chest, the need to exhale, but she held fast, determined not to alert him to their presence. She watched as he turned back towards his original destination, his footsteps a little faster as he disappeared into the night.

_*****_

A fitful and restless night’s sleep was interrupted by the sound of voices. Jenny reached out towards Vastra, only to find her side of the bed quite empty. She smiled at the pillow that had been pushed snugly to her side, she thought in an attempt to replicate her lover’s presence. She pulled it closer, not quite ready to relinquish the comfort, burying her head into the fabric and inhaling the scent that was indescribable but entirely Vastra’s as she drifted in and out of consciousness. The sound of the front door shutting once again brought her from her sleep state, she was unsure of the time that had passed but the footsteps climbing the stairs let her know that their visitors had left.

“Jenny?” Vastra whispered into the room, she didn’t want to wake her but knew she would be berated if she let her lay in bed past noon, however peaceful she looked.

“I’m awake.” Jenny stretched as she yawned, humming in satisfaction at the clicking of her joints as she unfurled herself from around the pillow. “Who was that?”

“Inspector Abberline.” Vastra sat at the foot of the bed, her hands clasped as they rested in her lap. “It seems my dear, that we were seen last night, quite close to the scene of a horrific murder.” She noticed the way Jenny’s eyes bulged in realisation, “Yes, my thoughts exactly.”

“Who saw us? They don’t think it was us do they?” Jenny moved from the bed and started to dress, if she was going to be hauled to the Yard she would want to be dressed for the occasion.

“No my dear, although I do have some doubt that it wasn’t on the list of the inspectors initial theories.” She stood to help Jenny with her corset, the assistance was unnecessary but she had come to learn that she would take any opportunity to be close to the warmth of Jenny’s body. “I have asked the inspector for the details of the murder, I like to think we could be of some help but the inspector has insisted that he would not thrust us into a case in which the witnesses are likely to meet the suspect.” She pulled at the lace, flinching slightly at the sharp intake of breath Jenny took as the fabric tightened around her.

“But we’re not the only witnesses are we? Someone saw us.” Jenny pulled on a shirt as she reached into the wardrobe for a skirt. She smiled as she felt Vastra’s eyes on her, but this was not the time. She raised an eyebrow as Vastra’s gaze travelled up her legs before reaching her face, unsure if she had actually heard the question.

“I will not apologise.” Vastra smiled as she walked over to Jenny, placing a soft kiss to her lips. “In answer to your question, no, we are not the only witnesses. So far, they have three witnesses, and therefore three suspects.”

“But we didn’t see anything.” Jenny walked from the room, in desperate need of a cup of tea she made her way to the kitchen as Vastra followed on. “And we certainly didn’t do anything!”

“That is not the point. Somebody saw us there Jenny. As far as I can ascertain, the only person who saw us was the man in the top hat.” She took a seat at the table, the morning newspaper untouched in front of her. “I am inclined to agree with the inspector on this very rare occasion.” She took the offered tea cup, the hot liquid warming her from the inside. “That does not mean that we cannot be of help from within the comfort of our own home. An officer will be by this afternoon with everything they have so far.”

*****

“There is no wonder the scent of blood was so strong.” Vastra looked over the notes taken by the officers at George Yard, the scene of the murder. She passed the notes to Jenny who was sitting at her side, she flinched as she heard Jenny retch slightly at the sight of the photograph of the injuries. It did not go unnoticed by her that the mere thought of someone vomiting in close proximity was entirely more alarming than the sight of a woman with multiple stab wounds. It was a disturbing testament to the fact that she had become quite accustomed to the sight of wounds inflicted by the act of violence. “My dear, please don’t make a mess. We only have one copy.”

“Sorry. It’s just, he made quite a mess of her didn’t he.” As she read through the notes, Jenny became aware that this woman had probably suffered before death overtook her. It was immediately apparent that this was a frenzied attack, Vastra had taught her that this usually means there is a personal connection, weather that meant that they knew the victim, or the victim was a surrogate for the perpetrators’ anger. Neither helped much at this point, Martha Tabram was a prostitute, murdered in the early hours of the 7th August in a vicious attack in a building occupied by many others, yet no one heard or saw a thing.

“We will have to wait for the medical examiner to complete his assessment before we can determine the weapon used, although I have no doubt that it was a blade, small enough for someone to be able to wield several times in quick succession.” She tucked the notes back into the file as Jenny passed them back, she held out her hand for the photograph, looking over to Jenny when it wasn’t received.

“Poor woman. No one ever sees the person do they. They see the victim, they see the murderer, but they never see the person. This woman probably had kids, this was someone’s daughter. Just because she was a working girl doesn’t make her any less does it.” She passed the photograph back to Vastra as she stood to leave the study. “I need some fresh air.”

Vastra watched as Jenny left the room, closing the door behind her. It was difficult to see Jenny this way, it was sometimes too much for her kind heart to take, and she knew from personal experience that it would be quite a while before the image was a forgotten memory. She would let her have her time, a moment of peace is deserving and entirely necessary in this world of constant noise. She closed the file, and made her way to her solarium, taking the previously forgotten morning newspaper with her. There was no point in dwelling any further over the case before all the details have been disclosed by the physician. As she skimmed over the pages, uninterested in anything, the black ink merged with the white paper as her thoughts remained elsewhere. Just as she was about to place the newspaper on the table at her side, an advert on the back page gained her interest. She smiled to herself, hoping that this would enable a sense of escapism for the both of them, even for a couple of hours.

****

It was a treat to spend their evenings in the more pleasant parts of London, so many of their nights had been spent watching over dank crime ridden streets, parts of London Jenny knew so well, yet hated with every part of her being. A night at the Theatre was something she didn’t know she needed. They walked through the bustling crowds as they exited the building, the men and women, mostly holding hands and laughing and smiling, were recounting their favourite parts of the show. She looked down at Vastra’s arm in hers, wishing that she could take her hand in her own. She stopped suddenly, receiving a tut from the couple behind, and removed her coat before offering them a glare in return. The warm night air made it an unnecessary layer, she had only worn it for the propriety of being dressed for the theatre, and she would make a better use out of it. She linked her arm with Vastra once again, laying her coat over to conceal their hands as she took Vastra’s in her own. It was almost perfect, save for the thin layer of material that was Vastra’s glove.

“I thoroughly enjoyed that, but I have to admit, the best part of the night so far is this bit.” Vastra squeezed Jenny’s hand to reiterate her statement. “I will add that the attractiveness of the cast did make it all the more appealing.”

“You have a type, do you know that?” Jenny knew she was teasing, but she had also noticed how she would always glance a little longer at the women with brunette hair and dark eyes. The lead actress had fit that description perfectly.

“I have a very specific type. As do you my dear. Besides, I am merely comparing, not indulging.”

“Comparing? What are you comparing?” Jenny had started to feel slightly unsettled at the thought of being compared to other women.

“It is a matter of personal interest my love, do not worry. I am simply attempting to work out why it is you and not them.” Vastra smiled at Jenny, before noticing the slight glare that had settled on Jenny’s face. “I am in love with you, but why?”

“Maybe that’s not something your detective skills can work out. Works both ways you know. Bit unfair though as I haven’t come across any other lizard women to compare you to.” Jenny’s frown turned into a smile once again, “although when I do, don’t complain if I do my own bit of investigating.”

“Of course not my dear, all in the name of science.” The thought that Jenny would come into contact with another like herself was an impossibility she was sure she could live with.

“Let’s get an ice cream.” Jenny pulled Vastra to the cart at the side of the road, surely there to make his money from the theatre patrons who had not indulged on the interval confectionaries. “What flavour do you want?” Jenny noticed the perplexed look on Vastra’s face, “Don’t tell me you ain’t never had ice cream?”

“No I haven’t ever had ice cream.” Jenny’s double negative was endearing although slightly jarring. “It sounds cold.” Jenny handed over a small pot, the small wooden spoon sticking out of the almost solid substance quite proudly.

“It’s vanilla. Start simple.” She took a spoonful of her own as she watched Vastra eye it suspiciously, knowing full well she wouldn’t like it, and quite happy to have a second helping. She continued to watch on as Vastra brought the spoon under her veil, surprised by the hum of delight the followed.

“It is rather delicious.” Vastra took another spoonful, followed by a third in quick succession.

“Don’t eat it too fast it’ll......” The sounds of delight quite rapidly turned to a hiss of uncomfortable pain, “...hurt.”

“Hurt? It feels like my brain is being attacked by a woodpecker.” She handed the pot to Jenny, unwilling to eat another bite. She couldn’t help but join in with Jenny’s laughter, “You are evil.”

“You can’t have something this good without there being a down side.” She tipped the rest of Vastra’s ice cream into her own pot and continued to eat, taking small and slow spoonfuls. “It’s like every cloud has a silver lining, only the opposite.”

“Every silver lining has a cloud. That is quite a negative way to view the world.”

“I haven’t found your cloud yet.” Jenny smiled, she finished off the last of it as they continued on to find a carriage home.

“Believe me my dear, there is a constant storm brewing.” Vastra winked as she took Jenny’s arm once again, the coat hiding their joined hands.

“I’ll make sure I keep an umbrella close by.”


	32. Chapter 32

“Thirty nine. Thirty nine separate wounds penetrating the flesh from the neck, across the abdomen and genitals, piercing as many organs as it could reach.”

“Thank you inspector Reid. If it is convenient for you, Abberline is not opposed to leaving copies of notes with us to work on as we see fit.” Vastra was eager to curtail his recounting of the victims wounds, it being so soon after their evening meal.

“Of course Mrs Vastra. I have....”

“Madame.” Jenny could see the irritation on Vastra’s face at being called missus. She also noticed the shock on the inspectors face at being corrected by a lowly house maid.

“Of course. Madame, I have further copies back at H Division head quarters, you may keep these.” Edmund Reid was not fully confident in the abilities of a widower and her house maid, but succumbed to Abberline’s request, if only to keep the peace. “I will leave you to enjoy the remainder of your evening.” He tipped his hat and made for the front door, Jenny following on behind.

Vastra had already moved from her favourite wicker chair, making herself comfortable on the dining table across the room. The papers spread out in front of her, in no order that would make any sense to anyone looking on, but an order she would wish not to be changed. She thought back to the case of Emma Smith, another prostitute that had died after falling victim to a violent attack. The only links between the two was their occupation and the fact that the attacks had both happened on the streets of Whitechapel, but it could have been a catalyst for the suspect’s desire for murder. The injuries were too dissimilar to establish a direct connection, but it should not be written off. She was interrupted from her thoughts by the sight of a tea cup in her peripheral vision.

“I thought we’d need a fresh pot. Looks like there’s a lot to go through.” Jenny handed the cup to Vastra, taking a seat across the table, her eyes drawn to the image of Martha Tabram once again. Her sensitivity towards it had numbed somewhat. “You can see why it’s taken the doctor almost a week to finish his examination.”

“This shouldn’t have taken him more than a few hours. I have concluded that it is Inspector Reid’s distaste at our intrusion that sees us quite behind on the matter, rather than the physicians leisurely pace.” She took a sip of tea, placing the cup on to the only part of the table that was not littered with papers. “What it is with their idea that the female brain is inferior to the male?”

“Wait ‘til they find out you’re a lizard.” Jenny smiled at Vastra’s giggle.

“It is inevitable that it will happen at some point.” Even that very night, the late hour had left her somewhat inappropriately dressed for visitors, and on returning to their guest after donning more suitable attire, the she had opened the door almost fully before the realisation at the lack of veil over her face. “Whether it is by mishap or my sheer exhaustion of keeping this façade, time will surely tell. Now my dear, the autopsy has uncovered a few additional facts.” She passed the report to Jenny, pointing out the third paragraph.

“Two weapons. That could mean there were two people then.”

“Or, it could mean that he had set out to perform this very task, ensuring that he had the correct weaponry to hand. A pen knife is a common item, I would be inclined to think the majority of the residents of Whitechapel would carry one. If the wounds were inflicted only with this, it could be argued that it was uncalculated act. The fact that there was a second, much larger knife could argue that his mind was set as he laid his hand on it.” She had to agree with Jenny’s theory, but this was only one amongst many others that she also believed to be true. “Nothing is ruled out until proof can be certain.”

“This’ll be like looking for a needle in a haystack. They’re all a bit iffy over there.” Jenny dipped another custard cream into her tea, cursing at the sound it made when half of it fell into the liquid as she lifted it, sinking to the bottom to disintegrate without trace like a long lost treasure.

“Here, share mine.” Vastra handed Jenny her cup, knowing full well she wouldn’t drink from her own now that there was a custard cream cadaver in the bottom. “It is unfortunate that you are probably right my dear. Let us hope that we get to him before he claims another victim, I feel that this is not intended to be a singular occurrence.”

*****

“Vastraaaaaa!”

The sound of Jenny’s cry was enough to send chills through anyone that heard it. Vastra tensed at the sound, unsure of what her next movement should be. The floorboards beneath her feet were sure to give her position away almost immediately if she didn’t take care to avoid the ones that creaked under pressure. She stood as still as she could, but succumbed to the fact that she would have to move. Grateful for the knowledge of her own house, she managed to step silently across the landing, although she had no idea of her destination.

_I can hear you sneaking around up there._

Vastra grimaced at the voice in her mind, Jenny was not happy. She made her way down the stairs, into the drawing room. The image of Jenny with her hands on her hips, the unmoving glare on her face did not stir the emotion she was sure Jenny had intended. Quite the opposite.

“What is the matter my dear?” She knew full well that it was the gaping hole in the ceiling that was the matter. She watched on as Jenny shifted her focus upwards, her arms crossing in front of her as her foot tapped impatiently, obviously waiting for an explanation. “Oh, however did that happen?”

“I wonder.” Jenny had returned from her trip to the market, she had left Vastra fiddling about with her contraptions in the laboratory, it seems that one of them has the power to blow holes through ceilings, whether it was intended for that purpose or not. “Can’t leave you alone for five minutes.” She couldn’t help the slight smile that curled at her lips at Vastra’s almost childlike demeanour at being caught out.

“I was hoping to have Arthur up there before you came back. I’ve sent for him already.” She walked over to Jenny, admiring the smooth edges of the hole, it had been cut through quite cleanly. The device had been intended as a method of projecting a small electrical pulse, enough to incapacitate but not to cause detrimental harm. Needless to say, it was a work in progress.

“And let me guess, you’ve moved the sofa because there’s a hole in the floor as well.” Jenny pushed it to the side, lifting the rug to reveal another hole, directly beneath the one in the ceiling, which had created a perfect view down into the room beneath. “Anyway, what the bloody hell is Arthur gonna do? He’s a kid!”

“I hadn’t thought that far ahead.” Vastra took Jenny by the arm as she led her out of the room. “We have other matters to attend to my dear.” She made her way up the stairs, beckoning Jenny to follow.

“If you think taking me to bed is gonna make me forget about the mess you have made you’d be mistaken.”

“Ah, I beg to differ my love, but alas that was not my initial intention.” She pushed open the door to the spare bedroom, the bed now in a skewed position in the middle of the room to cover the hole. Luckily, it hadn’t reached as far as the roof. “Although......”

“Nope.” Jenny stood strong, however tempted. “Why are we in here?”

“Look out of the window.” She stood back, letting Jenny move further into the room. “But do not let yourself be seen.”

“What am I supposed to be looking at?” The outside world seemed completely normal, people going about their daily business, the church yard littered with children enjoying rare English sunshine, until her eyes landed on the figure that had somehow managed to find the only slither of a shadow to conceal himself in. “It’s him! The man from George Yard!” She retreated from the window, fearful of being seen.

“Quite possibly. The top hat and cane are common amongst the gentleman about town, but what is less common is the obvious requirement for him to train his eyes directly at our front door for hours on end.” Vastra was sure it was the man they had come across on the night of the murder, but whether he was the perpetrator or not, that was another matter completely. “My dear, do not be alarmed but I think he is coming this way.”

*****

“Officer, as I have repeated on three separate occasions now, I am quite capable of protecting my own home. As is Miss Flint. I would advise that you preserve your energy for the more beneficial responsibilities of apprehending criminals.” Vastra was growing weary of the incessant presence of Scotland Yard in her home, peace was difficult to come by, and it was starting to show in her mood.

“Madame, having suspects come to your door is not something that should be taken lightly. I do admire your effective efforts to restrain him, but it is my duty to keep the streets of London safe.” Having taken the man, now known to them as wealthy businessman Clifford St Gillingham, into custody on suspicion of murder, his confession flowed like water from a tap. Not the confession they had hoped for, but a confession none the less. An officer had been stationed at 13 Paternoster Row for the last week, despite the disapproval of its residents.

“He seemed more frightened than either of us. I am going to assume the fear was that of being cast out by his wife rather than fear of being wrongly accused of murder. An unfortunately coincidental set of circumstances, but if you choose to stray from the marital home..... his bed is made, he should lie in it.” After the incident, Vastra could be almost certain that this wasn’t the man they were looking for, but it was indeed the man they saw that night. He had confessed to spending his evening with a young woman who had once been his wife’s chamber maid, before she had been removed from her position for numerous indiscretions. His alibi had been confirmed quite solidly, although according to the officers at H Division, the appearance of his wife almost persuaded him to confess to a murder he did not commit.

“I’m only doin’ as I’ve been asked ma’am, just me job.” The officer had originally been stationed on the doorstep, but having decided that it was bad for business, Vastra had invited him to stand on the other side of the door, in their hallway. A regret she would come to have quite soon after.

“Please, we are quite safe.” Jenny had felt entirely put out, having another person in the home meant that she had to revert back to being just the lowly house maid, and it pulled at her more than she thought it would, made worse by the fact that Vastra had tended to hide herself away in her study most of the day to avoid having to wear her veil.

“If you insist, I’ll go but in protest mind. Now, if you ‘ave any other unsavoury visitors, I’ll be right back at the tip of a hat.” The officer did just that, and left the house through the offered open door. “Take care ladies.”

“Why is it that when you unable to do something, you crave it all the more?” Vastra took Jenny’s hand, placing a kiss to the soft skin of her palm after removing the veil that she had come to hate once the door had closed fully.

“What’s that then?” Jenny had an inkling of an idea, although she would play along.

“To kiss you, as we stand in the hallway of all places.” Vastra was a little perplexed at her own curious need.

“Quite specific.” Jenny wanted nothing more than to quell her desire, reaching her hand to the back of Vastra’s neck, pulling her into a deep kiss that was reciprocated with vigour. “Maybe,” her words punctuated by lips pressing together, “It’s because...... this......... is the place....... I first told you that ........I love you.”

Vastra pressed her forehead against Jenny’s, taking a breath to replace that which had been stolen moments before. “You are becoming quite the detective Miss Flint.”

“I learned from the best. Come and sit by the fire.” The late August evening was warmer than most, but Vastra’s cool scales were in need of a little extra warmth. They took their place on floor by the fire, as they had done on many nights before, Vastra soaking up the heat of the flames in front, and the warmth of the body behind.

“Are you happy?”

“No.” Jenny felt Vastra tense at her answer. “I’m more than happy. I can’t think of a word that fits, I don’t think there is one.” She pulled Vastra closer, nuzzling the scaled skin of her neck as she filled her lungs with her scent. “Are you?”

“My love, I cannot think of a single thing in this world, or indeed from the one I used to call home, that would fill me with even a minute fraction of the joy I have when I’m in your presence. But there is one thing that would make me even happier.” She was tempted to ask the question, even if it was an impossibility for them, even if it never happened, at least the answer would be something to cherish, if she received the answer she desired. The last thought changed her mind in an instant. What if it wasn’t the answer she wanted?

“Let me guess, tea?”

“How well you know me.” She turned to place a kiss to Jenny’s cheek, “But not yet, I’m enjoying this moment of peaceful solitude.” One day the courage will return, one day she will ask her to be her wife. But for today, maybe for the next week or even year, she would succumb to the fact that the mighty Silurian Warrior, Va’Stra, was indeed a coward.

“Me too.” Jenny was oblivious to Vastra’s inner torment, her own mind was settled, more settled than it had ever been. Despite the odd nature of their existence and the continually perilous yet so far surmountable nature of their work she was entirely content. Even the constant fear of being ousted for her own desires, and of course the object of that desire, did nothing to deter her from her acceptance that this is the life she wanted to live, for the rest of her days. “I’ll go and make the tea.”

Vastra moved forward to let Jenny stand, already missing the warmth. She made herself comfortable against the cushions that Jenny had placed behind her back before she left for the kitchen, her mind now back on her work, and the imminent arrival of a warm beverage. The words that filled the air where wholly unexpected.

“Will you marry me?”


	33. Chapter 33

“Will you marry me?”

A knock at the door filled the silence that had encompassed the room. Vastra’s eyes didn’t leave Jenny’s, she could feel the overwhelming sense of shock on her own her features as Jenny’s started to show regret at what she had just asked.

“It’s ok, I know we can’t, I don’t know what I was thinking.” Jenny felt herself grow heavy, it took her twice as much effort as usual to hold herself up. She didn’t even know why she said it, what she had expected the answer to be, the words had left her lips before her brain had a chance to engage. The expression on Vastra’s face was unreadable, but her silence spoke volumes.

“Jenny, I....” The knock at the door sounded again as Vastra stood from her position on the rug, “I am going to rip that door from its hinges.” She watched on as Jenny retreated from the room to see to the intruder of their peace. Her head hung lower than usual, her steps were quickened but timid, as if she was retreating quietly to safety.

It had been no more than thirty minutes since the officer stationed in their hallway had left, Vastra’s ire at being disturbed once again was apparent in her demeanour as she donned her veil, joining Jenny at the front door. “What do you want?”

“There’s been another one.” Jenny took the file of documents from the officer at the door before he decided to scarper in fear, handing it to Vastra while avoiding her eye contact.

“I’m sorry Madame, for disturbin’ your evening. I was told to deliver this immediately.” The officer grasped at the hem of his jacket, attempting to rid his palms of the excess of sweat that appeared the very moment the lady of the house had come to the door. “She was found this morning.”

“This morning? Why is it that you have only now decided to present me with this information?” She took the file from Jenny as she started scanning through the documents, “It has been fourteen hours. Decided to take a leisurely stroll?”

“Sorry ma’am, I’m just the messenger. Inspector Reid sent me over here about an hour..... ago.” The officer watched as the door closed in his face mid sentence, happy to be able to retreat back into the dark streets of the city.

“I’ll put the kettle on.” Once again, Jenny retreated from the presence of Vastra, the uncomfortable air seemed to weigh on her like a ton of bricks. If only one of Vastra’s contraptions had be ability to turn back time. What she wouldn’t give to take back her words. She meant them, with all of her heart she meant them, but she began to doubt what she had always thought to be true. Vastra loved her, but did she just love her for now? Until a time when one of her own would wake as she had done, until she realised that their love was impossible in this world?

“Jenny, I....”

“Do you want a biscuit to go with your tea?” Jenny didn’t turn her attention away from the kettle on the stove, watching it intently, listening to sound of the bubbling water inside.

“No, thank you. Jenny, we need...”

“Cake? I’d like a bit of cake. What about a pickled onion?” Jenny was clutching at straws, not wanting the conversation to come.

“No! Please woman let me speak!” Vastra took Jenny’s hand as she moved to stand behind her, turning her to face her. The sight of Jenny’s red eyes, her quivering lip tore her apart. “My love, did you mean it? Truly?” She watched as Jenny lifted her shoulders in a shrug, her teeth bit at her lips as she struggled for the words to come. “Jenny, I would do anything to be able to call you my wife.” She smiled as she saw the spark return to the deep brooding eyes.

“But?” there had to be one, she knew not what it was, but there had to be.

“But nothing.” She brushed back a loose strand of hair behind Jenny’s ear, “But nothing, nothing would stop me from wanting that.” She leaned in to place a soft kiss to Jenny’s lips, she sighed as Jenny’s arms enveloped her, holding her tighter than she had ever been held before. “Did you mean it?”

“Yes. Will you marry me?”

“My love, a thousand times yes.” She felt her own tears start to build, she held her close, never wanting the moment to end. “I’m not sure how, or where or when, but my dearest Jenny, you will be my wife, and I yours.” She smiled into the kiss as their lips met once again.

“I can’t wait.” Jenny felt the heavy weight lift in an instant. “You sure you don’t want a pickled onion?”

“I have never been more positive in my life.”

“Fair enough, I still fancy a bit of cake though.”

*****

Vastra sat in her study, her head resting in her hands, her fingers massaging her temples as she fought off the ever present fatigue. Another month had passed them by, it seemed the days rolled into each other, repeating themselves torturously over and over again. The constant fear on the streets of London seeped through the walls of their home, a burden thrust upon them to find the person responsible for taking the lives of innocent women. Mary Ann Nichols and Annie Chapman had been added to the list of names, suspected to have been murdered at the hands of the same man. Now he taunts them, calling himself ‘Jack the Ripper’, proudly laying claim to his victims. Endless nights of prowling the streets of Whitechapel, she and Jenny were always one step behind, always too late, always on the wrong street. The night when a further two victims were found, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes, they had almost caught him, seconds separated them from his capture, but their interruption had only led to another death.

“Why don’t you come to bed, you need to sleep.” Jenny had started to worry, Vastra was working into the late hours, even when they had been out surveying the city, they would return home only for her to disappear back into the dark room, she would find her the next morning curled up in front of the dying fire, only for the same vicious cycle to start again. She had helped as much as she could, her own theories and ideas she felt were doing no more than adding to the work load.

“We almost had him Jenny. We were so close.” Vastra’s voice was low, quiet. “You know I’m going to kill him don’t you? When I find him, I will kill him.” The low growl that emanated from her chest echoed in the room. “I’m not leaving in to chance, he will not get an opportunity to persuade a judge and jury that he is innocent.”

“I know.” Jenny’s moral compass was trying to convince her to argue, but after seeing the grotesque images of a woman slain and drawn like that of a sadistic punishment centuries old, her compass was starting to quiver. She thought back to the list they had made together, even then she had hoped it would never be required, but she felt herself warming to the idea as each day passed. She would be there with a napkin, to wipe the blood from her lips “Come to bed, just for a couple of hours.”

“I will my sweet, I promise.” Vastra lifted her head and smiled at Jenny as she left her once again to her thoughts. She read through the list of suspects, the motives and methods, there were lines crossed through some, others circled and then scribbled through completely. She closed her eyes against the black ink, tired of it burning into her mind. She thought to the woman currently waiting for her upstairs, the sweetest, most constant source of her happiness. She succumbed to the craving to surrender to sleep, but this time in Jenny’s arms. She closed the files, pushing them to the side to forget about until the morning, or try to at least. She left the study and made her way to their room, reaching the top of the stairs as quietly as she could. The soft purr of Jenny’s sleeping form could be heard as she walked into the room, she had already found her peace for the night. Tiptoeing as quietly as she could so as not to wake her, she stripped to her underwear, too tired to change into her night clothes, and got into bed. She pressed her back against Jenny’s front, lifting the arms of the sleeping woman to wrap them around herself, the need to be held by her was overpowering. She felt Jenny stir as the arms wrapped tighter around her, pulling her in closer. Sleep came in an instant.

*****

The following weeks brought no end, just relentless mockery and ridicule directed at the police force. Vastra had to agree, but she and Jenny were no closer to catching the demon, now dubbed Jack the Ripper, either.

“The kidney has been confirmed as human, that of a woman between 35 and 45 years of age, who had a taste for the consumption of alcohol.” The news of this caused an increasing amount of vexation; Vastra had been able to examine the organ shortly after it had been received, along with the letter addressed ‘FROM HELL’. It had been her exact determination just by sight and smell alone, which was now being confirmed by a physician weeks later. Yet more time wasted.

“So, do you still think it was Catherine Eddowes kidney then?” Jenny poured another glass of warm blood, handing it to Vastra over the desk.

“Yes, I am sure of it.” Having also been able to examine the victims herself, she could quite certainly determine that the kidney had been taken from Mrs Eddowes, her scent was quite distinctive. She had been unable to reiterate this to the police without revealing her methods, but she had managed to be persuasive enough. She had also managed to shorten her list of suspects to four. Three men and, at the disbelief of Scotland Yard, a woman.

“I take it your going out again tonight then?” Vastra had been going out alone most nights, despite Jenny’s constant argument. “And I’m staying here, again?”

“Jenny, we have talked about this.”

“No, you’ve talked about it, I’ve just listened like a good little house wife.” Jenny raised an eyebrow, tempting Vastra to disagree.

Vastra smiled at the term, although she was not yet her wife, it sat with her very well. “My love, you are not, and never will be a _good little house wife_. I could not keep you, even if I wanted you to be kept. Your will is far too formidable.”

“Too right it is.”

“In answer to your question, yes.” Although she knew Jenny was more than competent enough to join her, it was her own ability to trust that she would be able to protect her that was the conflicting issue. Coupled with the fact she was sure Jenny would persuade her not to kill him. She hadn’t told Jenny as much, blaming it on the fact that a young woman like her would be seen as an easy target. Vastra looked to the clock on the mantle, it was nearing eleven. “On that note my love, I would be grateful if you could fetch my cloak, the Ripper awaits.”

Vastra stepped out onto the dark streets, winter had well and truly set in once again. Icy wind seemed to cut at her scales like shards of broken glass. A sensation that would in all other circumstances force her to retreat to the warmth of her home, but she was determined this night would see an end to it. She kept her sights firmly set on the man as he weaved his way through the steady flow of people now making their way home after an evening of drink fuelled merriment. He stuck out like a sore thumb. His cap pulled low to conceal his face, his overgrown muddy brown beard obscured his features further. She watched as he entered a building on Millers Court, her eyes unmoving from the door to the building. She waited, and watched. Until a scent filled the air that she had not expected. She had not expected him to defer from his modus operandi of slaying the women in the open, but the overwhelming odour of fresh blood made her dizzy with failure once again.

*****

“I have a promise to keep.”

“And I’ve got a job to do. Someone’s gotta keep those dirty fucking whores off the streets.”

His stench made Vastra wretch, the way he spat when he spoke made her queasy. She wanted nothing more than to make it stop. She had found him, too late for the woman she would come to know as Mary Kelly, but she had found him at last. She would take great pleasure in slowly releasing the life from his body as she dragged him through the dark streets, attempting to find a place where she would not be disturbed.

“Let me go, or I’ll ‘ave you next.”

“And how is it, pray tell, that you are going to _have me_ while I have your throat in my grip?” She squeezed a little tighter, relishing at the sound of his words struggling through his lack of air. She gripped tighter and tighter still, until his body went limp. She had hoped he would last a little longer, to suffer a little more, but the yearning to stop his heart overwhelmed her. “I thought as much.”

She would make sure a miracle would not bestow itself on him, cutting off his air would not be enough, she wanted to make sure there was no possible way for this man to claw back his life. She had never craved human flesh as much as she did in that moment, and she was glad Jenny was not there to witness it.

*****

Sleep had been difficult to come by, as it had always been when Vastra was out. The night had come and gone, the last of the daylight filtered through the curtains as Jenny looked out onto the coming dusk from the upper window. It hadn’t been an unusual occurrence lately for Vastra to be out for days at a time, despite Jenny’s initial castigation. She tried to carry on with her day despite her constant worry, finding herself looking out of the window on any occasion that she passed it. In truth, she hadn’t expected her home for a good few hours yet; she wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t see her until the following morning. The dish cloth in her hands was frayed from the constant twisting and worrying of the material, her subconscious habit was a sure tell of her mood.

Jenny walked through the house stoking the fires as she went, Vastra would need warmth after being out in the freezing November air for so long. She entered the drawing room with the basket of logs, and a scuttle of coal, oblivious to the new addition to the room. She poked and prodded the fire, glancing at the odd blue colour she could see in her peripheral vision, initially not registering the intrusion until she did a double-take.

“What the fu.....” She stood and staggered backwards as she took in the huge, garish blue box in the corner of the room. Tentative steps brought her closer to the object, reaching out her hands to touch, to confirm that she wasn’t hallucinating. She knocked at the wood and held her ear against it, nothing. She pulled at the handle on the door which remained unmoved despite her determined strength. The sound of their front door opening made her jump out of her skin. Vastra was home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that, as you know, is where we are first introduced. When I first started this, I thought that this is where I would end it. But I can’t, I can’t stop.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Introducing Commander Strax, late of the Sontaran empire....

“Field report D579/T. I have been assigned to the operative of butlurising the residents of two females. One human, one _Silurian_. Initial reconnaissance determined that I am to be supplied with dresses as payment, in return I am to perform excessive manual labour, with maximum prejudice. It is with great relief that I am not required to be the man, further recognisance will determine the female’s alternative method of reproduction.”

“What is he doing in there?” Jenny listened through the wall, not quite able to make out the words.

“I dread to think. Was this a mistake?” Vastra was not yet used to having another person in the house, and still not sure if the word _person_ was the right one to use.

“No, he’s harmless. Although I do miss our privacy, and our flowers.” Jenny looked to the window sill, the flower vase had been emptied of its freshly cut blooms, Strax having replaced them with potatoes, claiming that they are more pleasing to the eye than the ‘ _Smelly dead vegetation’_ as he had so eloquently put it.

“Well...... since he is otherwise occupied, I think we find ourselves quite alone.” Vastra took Jenny by the hand to lead her from the room, hoping to find a quiet place to be.

“Are you still jealous of me being around all those lizards?” Jenny laughed at the feigned gasp of innocence, she had been enjoying the fact that Vastra had taken any moment possible to be close since they had returned from aiding the Doctor at Demons Run. With months previous being all consumed by the hunt for a serial murderer, time together had been hard to find. “Don’t worry, I’ve only got eyes for you. And maybe that one with the tattoo on her arm.” She yelped at the bite to her neck as Vastra’s arms enveloped her, taking immense pleasure at the intense jolt it sent down her spine.

“We are as much lizards as you are an ape, and that was not a tattoo. It was a brand.” She would admit that it had taken her a few moments of quiet contemplation to deal with being around her own kind once more, a matter that was not helped by Jenny’s wondering eye. Jealousy, that was a sentiment she would not admit to, however true it may have been. Vastra pushed the door closed as they entered the drawing room, and reclined on the sofa pulling Jenny to rest on top of her. She hummed in pleasure at the pressure between her thighs as Jenny’s legs entwined with hers. Warm lips peppered the cool scales of her neck with kiss after kiss, each one making the lack of any other skin contact less and less bearable.

“A brand? What, like cows have?”

“My dear, I am inclined to push you off of me for comparing my race to cattle, but I am enjoying this far too much.” Her hands were tangled in dark locks, she pulled a little harder than usual to convey her distaste, smirking at the whimper of pleasure that vibrated against the skin of her neck. “Like a convict would have.”

“Mmmm, a criminal. Forbidden fruit.” Jenny couldn’t help but giggle at her last words, even she couldn’t take herself seriously. She moved to look into Vastra’s eyes, the sincere gaze of affection that met her made her heart beat a little faster. “You know I love you, and only you.” She pressed her lips to Vastra’s, the kiss deepening by the second as she felt Vastra’s hands trying to find any possible way of gaining access to Jenny’s warm skin. She could sense Vastra growing increasingly impatient, her fingers pulling at the buttons of Jenny’s blouse to no avail. She sat up, straddling Vastra’s hips as she took matters into her own hands. She undid each button, one by one, painfully slowly as Vastra watched on in awe of the vision in front of her. Eager hands gripped tighter at her thighs, breaths were slow and ragged. Jenny watched on intently as the Silurian tongue darted out to taste the air.

Vastra could taste Jenny, she could feel her excitement grow, and it did nothing to help the situation. Once the last button had been unfastened, she sat up and laced her arms through the open shirt and around Jenny’s waist, her hands clawing at the skin of her back. Her corset still prevented access to the heat that she craved, but her lips now able to get at a little more flesh. She teased the skin with sharp bites, followed by soothing kisses, Jenny’s hands and lips on her crests spurring her on. The urgency was unrelenting, each kiss, each touch begged for another, a never ending cycle of need. Until the door was unceremoniously flung open.

“Madame, I am ready to begin my duties.”

“Strax!” Vastra pulled Jenny’s shirt back across her chest to protect her modesty, grateful that she had her back to the door but the bright red flush now on her cheeks showed that this was only a very small mercy. Vastra watched as Strax saluted her, it would have been easy to direct her frustration at him, but the anger would have been unjust. “If Miss Jenny and I are behind a closed door, I would appreciate it if you would knock before you enter.”

“Of course Madame. I see you are performing an examination, does Miss Jenny require medical assistance?”

“No!” Jenny hid her face in her hands as she heard Strax step further into the room.

“Are you sure? I am a nurse.”

“Quite sure, Strax. Thank you.” Vastra tried in vain to shake the fog of arousal that clouded her mind, “Tea!” the idea managed to break through the haze “Miss Jenny and I would like a pot of tea.”

“Of course ma’am, I will return with tea.”

“And this time, we would like the milk from the urn, not....” She gestured to Strax’s chest, “That milk.” She watched as he saluted once more, and retreated into the hallway, leaving the door wide open.

“Oh god. That was embarrassing.” Jenny’s forehead was resting against Vastra’s shoulder, the blush on her cheeks finally starting to fade.

“It could have been worse.”

Jenny sighed, she was right. At least she wasn’t naked.

*****

Jenny’s hands gripped at the sheets, her knuckles white with the force at which she grasped at the material. The cool air across her bare skin mixed with the gleam of sweat that covered her body, creating an icy chill that bit enticingly at her skin, her ragged breaths and cries of pleasure filled the room, echoing against the walls. Vastra’s tongue seemed to find parts of her she didn’t know existed, the feeling of euphoria washed over her as she felt it move inside her with immeasurable skill, her thighs gripped Vastra’s head, unconsciously willing her not to stop. Vastra’s claws digging into the skin of her thighs sent wave after wave of rapturous pleasure through her at the pain they were inflicting. She didn’t know how much more she could take, but she wanted to take it all, every last drop.

Two quick knocks sounded through the room, before their bedroom door was thrown open so violently it almost left its hinges.

“Oh god not again.” Jenny reached out for a pillow to cover her modesty, “Strax! What did Madame say about knocking!”

“I did.” he demonstrated again by rapping his knuckles against the wood of the open door. “See?”

“You’re supposed to wait for an answer!” Jenny could feel Vastra’s body convulsing beneath the sheets, she couldn’t see her face but she knew she was currently in fits of laughter. She wrapped her thighs tighter in an attempt to stop her relentless shaking, regretting it immediately as she felt the flick of Vastra’s tongue. “Oi, stop!” She lifted the sheets to see Vastra’s eyes gleaming with tears at the struggle to not laugh out loud.

“Miss Jenny, are you sure you are not injured? I could hear your cries from the kitchen. I do not think Madame is a competent practitioner.” Strax started to enter the room before retreating at the cry from Jenny.

“No! I do not need a doctor, or a nurse or anything. Madame Vastra is just..... helping me find something.” The shaking beneath the sheets picked up again.

“If you insist. Then I will attempt to make breakfast.”

“That would be lovely, Thank you.” She watched as he turned to leave, “Shut the door!” She flinched at the sound of the wood slamming against the door frame. She collapsed back against the mattress, hitting Vastra with the pillow as she did so. “I hate you.”

“You love me.” Vastra was still giggling at their intrusion as she poked her head up from beneath the sheets.

“I do. Anyway, who said you should stop?” Jenny raised an eyebrow, her expression mirrored by the woman between her legs.

“You did, quite impolitely I might add.” Vastra teased back.

“Well, I didn’t mean stop, just, pause.” She watched as Vastra disappeared back under the crisp white sheet with a sly grin, Jenny’s breath hitching as she felt her continue her previous mission. “God I love you.”

*****

It was with great relief that Strax had finally begun to understand the concept of doors, and the etiquette in which they should be treated. After a further two occasions, thankfully interrupting far less compromising situations, it wasn’t until Jenny had acted out the task of knocking a door, and waiting to be invited to enter that he had managed to grasp the theory. This seemed to work, so this is how he had been taught, much to Jenny’s annoyance. It had seemed that for the first week, she had been having to complete his chores while he watched on, very intently for which she was immensely grateful for, before he was able to follow instruction. She now found him mopping the kitchen floor, but more puzzlingly, he was muttering something under his breath.

“What are you doing?”

“Ah, there you are boy. I am mopping the floor.” He gestured to the wet tiles proudly, slipping a little as he moved back to show her his work.

“Careful. Maybe use a bit less water next time ‘ey? Sterling job though Strax.” She sat at the kitchen table after walking tentatively over the wet floor, letting him carry on. The muttering started again. “What are you sayin’?”

“Nothing.” He carried on, the sound he was making continued.

“Why are you making that noise?” It was if he was grumbling and complaining, yet there were no clear words.

“I am merely following your instruction.” Again, he continued with the mop, and the strange noise.

Jenny had finally registered what the noise was. He was literally copying her. She laughed as she shook her head, remembering how she had been cursing under her breath as she had mopped the floor, her distaste at having to show Strax each and every task. She had to be grateful that he hadn’t picked up on any of the language she had used. “Strax, you don’t need to make that noise.”

“I see. You require silence?”

“No, you don’t have to be silent, you can make a noise if you want, or sing or hum, it doesn’t have to be the same noise I did.”

“Of course, I will continue with my preferred method of resonance.”

Jenny listened to the hum, she was impressed at the fact that there was a tune. It reminded her of song she had heard before; the American sailors at the docks had one similar, albeit in a different key. She smiled, pleased that he was starting to fit in at 13 Paternoster Row.

*****

“Field report S194/P. The females are pleased with my conquest of their _chores.”_

Jenny giggled at the way he had said chores, as if they were an enemy he had bested in battle. She was trying not to listen, but the door was ajar, and she was too inquisitive to turn away.

“I am satisfied with my new military uniform, it has pockets. Ample storage for arms and ammunition. The dresses it turns out, are for the females.”

Jenny laughed again, she was glad he liked his pockets.

“Jenny, my love, I think......what are you doing?” Vastra’s initial thought was interrupted by the sight of Jenny stood at an awkward angle against the door to the pantry.

“Listening to Strax’s field report.” She stated as matter of fact, as if it should be obvious.

“His what?” Vastra moved closer to the door, listening through the gap.

“My reconnaissance on the subject of female slash female mating rituals is still ongoing, but it seems they are more interested in inflicting mild to moderate pain on each other.”

“Oh dear goddess. What have we created.” Vastra laughed at his last line, determined to never let his reconnaissance of female mating rituals ever start let alone be concluded, unless the conclusion was that it did not exist.

“A monster. What ‘ave we let ourselves in for.” They moved away from the door as the sound of footsteps could be heard through the gap.

“Ma’am, Miss Jenny. Good morning.” He gave the best toothy grin that he could muster, a facial gesture he had picked up on his travels that seemed to please the humans, he was glad that the Silurian seemed to like it as well.

“Mornin’ Strax” Jenny sat with Vastra at the kitchen table, pouring the tea and offering a cup to Strax.

“Tea is offensive. No offense.”

“Um, none taken.” Jenny heard Vastra chuckle from behind her newspaper. “You gonna sit down?” She could feel him hovering over her shoulder, as if waiting for something to happen.

“Sitting is for wimps, Again, no offence.”

“Right. Well, what is it you do then when you haven’t got anything else to do?”

“Stand and wait for further instruction of course. Be ready for the impending battle; never be left open for a surprise attack by _sitting.”_ He clenched his fist in front of him, drawing it down slowly to his side. “Vanquish enemies, prepare to die in the field of battle....” he continued as if reciting a shopping list, “Polish my grenades, that sort of thing.”

“Why don’t you go and polish your grenades Strax, have a day off.” Vastra returned his salute at her instruction, receiving a giggle from Jenny as she did so.

“As you wish ma’am.” He left the room, slamming the door closed as he went.

“Do you think it’s too late to change our minds?” Vastra was half joking, but only half.

“Oi, he’s harmless. He’ll get the hang of things eventually.” Jenny rather liked having him around the house, purely for the entertainment value. “Anyway, he shut the door behind him. He can’t come back in now.” She got up from her seat, coming to sit on Vastra’s lap, bringing her tea cup with her. Peacefulness settled over Paternoster Row as they sat together, enjoying the closeness as they read the morning news, the twitter of a robin could be heard as it rested on the snow covered windowsill. The icy blue sky glowed with the dawn sun, the rays reflecting on the white blanket that covered the lawn. The soft click clack of hooves could be heard as they clattered over the cobbled streets, the sound of children’s laughter rang in the air after they had awoken to find a fresh snow had fallen in the night. It was a bliss they had come to love, and it was perfect.

Until the unmistakable sound of an explosion rattled through the house.


	35. Chapter 35

"What is that?"

"What?"

"That." Vastra pointed to the space to the left of where Jenny now stood, having just returned from her previous errand.

"Don't tell me the Great Detective can't work out a set of bagpipes when she sees one." Jenny grinned back at the scathing glare she received. "Besides, it's nothing to do with me, I've only just spotted them myself." Jenny walked further into the room after discarding her coat and scarf, "And anyhow, why is it me you're always first to point the finger at?" She punctuated her question with a kiss to Vastra's forehead, the Silurian still staring at the obtrusive object as if it were about to attack. Jenny watched her unmoving gaze and wondered just how long had she been sat there staring at them.

"Because, my dear, I usually find that you are indeed the culprit." She stood from her chair, raising an eyebrow to Jenny as she did. She walked over to the bagpipes, inspecting them with more intrigue. Of course she knew exactly what they were, and the awful sound they emitted once air was blown through the pipes, the shrill sound that seemed to rattle her to the bones. "Please tell me he is not intent on learning to play them." Vastra was moments away from removing the offending item from her home before she was interrupted.

"Isn't it marvellous Madame! Mike the Tooth swapped it for a stun grenade." Strax picked up the set of pipes, a strap of leather had been crudely sewn on to the tartan material which he proceeded to place over his shoulder. Holding the bagpipes as if it were a handbag, he stood proudly with his hands on his hips and gave a turn. "I think it brings out the colour of my eyes."

Jenny tried to stifle a giggle, failing when she could see Vastra attempting to do the same. "It's supposed to be....Ow!" She felt a sharp prod to the ribs as Vastra dug in an elbow.

"It is quite something Strax." He didn't need to be told that it was supposed to be played rather than worn, for the sake of sanity it was a lesson she was willing to withhold. "Jenny, don't you think Strax's new satchel is befitting?"

"Oh yes ma'am, he does look quite dapper. What you gonna put in it?" Jenny watched him as he fiddled about with the soft material of the bag, battling with the pipes as one after the other threatened to take an eye out.

"I am yet to find the correct means of entry......." He lifted one of the pipes and peered down the top of it, he took a coin from his pocket and attempted to push it through, with very little success.

"Here, let me." Vastra had taken a pair of scissors from Jenny's sewing box, without a second thought she took the bagpipes in hand, cutting a three inch opening in the top of the bag. "I'm sure Miss Jenny will be able to attach a button for you."

Jenny could hear the internal sigh of relief from Vastra, it was either that or the sound of the last remnants of breath of an old Scottish jock as it wheezed out of the bag, never to be played again. "Gis it here, I've got one that'll do nicely." She sat on the arm of the chair, taking a needle and thread to her lips as she tied off the end, she watched Vastra in the corner of her eye, she could see a visible shift in her mood, her shoulders relaxed, her eyes drifted closed as she soaked up the heat of the fire. She had never known someone to detest the sound of bagpipes so much. Jenny rather liked it, there was a certain regal feel to it. "There, all done." She handed the bagpipes back to Strax, and watched as he put it back over his shoulder. His hand found the button and proceeded to undo and fasten it over and over again, as if to test its viability.

"Thank you Miss Jenny. Military precision as usual." He saluted as he turned on his heels, leaving the room with slightly more air in his step.

"I'm not sure I've done the right thing." Vastra sat with her eyes still closed to the daylight.

"What do you mean? He loves his new bag." Jenny laughed is she sat next to Vastra, taking her hand in her own.

"Yes, but we are the ones that have to been seen with him, using a set of bagpipes as a handbag." Vastra opened her eyes just to see Jenny grimace at the thought.

"I'd be more concerned about what Mike the Tooth is gonna do with a stun grenade."

*****

"Well, that answers that question." Jenny brushed off the rubble dust from her knees as she stood, examining the state of the Red Lion pub, or what was once the Red Lion pub. She waved her hand in front of her face to clear the air that had filled with a fog of brick dust, coughing slightly as she did so. “I think we were too late.” They were lucky that the external walls were still standing, although the front door was now swinging off its hinges.

“Indeed.” Vastra’s veil shifted slightly as she huffed out an irritated breath, she entered the front door after Jenny had crawled in and lifted the limp piece of wood enough for her to walk under. Her ire was entirely directed in Strax’s direction. “I think you should refrain from exchanging Sontaran weaponry for personal luggage from now on Strax.” She moved closer to what would have been the bar, watching as Mike the Tooth removed himself from underneath the floorboards that used to cover Bob and Mildred’s bedroom. “What in goddess’ name possessed you to blow up the pub?”

“I uh, I didn’t know it would do that.” He slipped on an empty bottle as he stood, only just regaining his balance before hitting the floor again. “I was just lookin’ to spruce meself up a bit.”

“How the bloody hell was settin’ off a grenade gonna do that?” Jenny looked up to the gaping hole in the ceiling, grateful for the fact that the landlord and landlady were out of town. “You’re lucky you can still be called Mike the Tooth, I’m surprised you managed to keep hold of your last pearly white.”

“I got meself a lady friend.” He put his hands in his pockets as he bashfully looked down at his feet, using the toe of his shoe to shift about at the rubble. “Wanted to look a bit more dapper, she’s a stunner you see, wanted to give her a bit of a stun as well.”

Vastra looked puzzled. “How.... what is....ah. I see. I think you misunderstood the intent of the word _stun._ Granted, its use is to disorientate by means of sound wave but I feel the strength of the Sontaran stun grenade is more akin to a sonic boom. It is not, however, intended to improve one’s appearance in order to _stun.”_ She looked over to Strax, intending to send over a glare of irritation, only to be met with the site of him yet again playing with the button on his new bag. “Strax!”

“Yes ma’am!” He stood straight, a solider ready for his next command. Unaware of the trouble he was in.

“Never mind.” Vastra turned to leave, murmuring under her breath words of apology to her goddess for whatever she had done to deserve this, before an unbearable stench hit her like a brick wall.

“Yeah, I can smell it too.” Jenny pulled her coat sleeve over her hand and lifted it to cover her mouth and nose, in an attempt to protect herself from the unmistakable smell of rotting flesh. As she moved towards the back wall, the smell seemed to seep right through her, filling her lungs, forcing its way down her throat and into her stomach, tempting it to expel its contents. “Oh god, I hope it’s a dead rat or something.”

“I don’t think a rat would....”

“I know, just let me hope just for a few seconds.” As Jenny moved closer, the strength grew stronger. A dead rat carcass was not capable of such an intense odour. She braced herself as she reached for the loose panels of the wall, hoping with little faith that she wasn’t about to uncover a human cadaver. She pulled at the wood, the small gap now big enough for her to peer inside, her eyes stinging as the smell reached an unbearable measure. “Yep, I think someone was hoping for a lock in.”

*****

“Thank you ma’am, we’ll take it from here.” Inspector Gregson tipped his hat as he turned to join the officers currently working to remove the dead body from the wall of the Red Lion.

“You know it’s gonna end up on our doorstep in a weeks’ time.” Jenny stood with her arms crossed over her chest, watching on with irritation as Scotland Yard took over the case.

“Indeed my dear, but the inspector has insisted that we ensure he is first to the scene should we happen across any criminal activity. Let us do as he so pleases, he will decide in his own time, once he feels a swifter conclusion is required to deal with the insurmountable level of crime in our fair town.” She took Jenny’s arm in her own as they turned to leave, having already sent Strax ahead, hoping to keep him out of the sights of the inspector.

“Av I killed someone? I av aven’t I. I’ve bloody bumped someone off. Oh gawd, I’m in trouble. Oh dear oh dear oh dear. I didn’t mean to, I swear it.” Mike’s voice was a whisper as he hid around the corner opposite to the pub, having scarpered when the mention of the Yard reached his ears.

“Don’t worry Mike, unless you’ve done someone in a fortnight ago and hid him in the walls, you’re not the one to blame. He’s been dead a good while.” Jenny smiled as if to reassure him. “What you doing sleepin’ on the floor of the pub anyway, Strax told us that’s where we’d find you. Thought you had a place down by the docks, with your mate Tom?”

“I did, I mean, I do. He’s um, well he kicked me out for the week, got an old flame come to visit from up north, thought I’d be alright down the Lion, was gonna ask a favour from old Bob for running that errand for him a few weeks ago.”

“What errand was that may I ask?” Vastra was intrigued, the cogs in her mind were already starting to whirl and click.

“Nothin’ much really, just wanted me to, shall we say, _acquire_ a couple of gin barrels from the dock storage yard. Empty mind, I don’t think I coulda managed a full one, me mare is a bit lame. Cart is a on its last legs too.” Mike looked on in confusion, “That a bit suspicious is it Madame? Finking about it now, he did want me to deliver ‘em in the dead of night an’ all.”

“Thank you Michael, you have been very helpful.” They turned and left, as Mike the Tooth carried on watching as officers continued to mill about the pub.

“What you thinking then?” Jenny knew Vastra has already written her theories, she wondered if her own would be similar.

“Isn’t it quite a coincidence, a rotting corpse found in the walls of a pub, recently vacated by its inhabitants?”

*****

_Even in the darkness, when the sun hides its light, when sleep consumes the inhabitants of the gloomy city, there is always a shadow. A shadow that lurks and seeks, whether it a treasure of gold, or the satisfaction of revenge, its will is one that does not stop when the world slumbers, and neither does that of the Veiled Detective._

“What do you think?”

“What is its purpose?”

“Purpose? There is no purpose, aside from a bit of amusement I s’pose.” Jenny took the notebook back from Strax as he looked at the pages in confusion.

“I was not amused.”

“Don’t you think it’s nice to read back on our little adventures?” She took note of Vastra’s silence behind her newspaper, wondering what had her mind otherwise occupied. It had been a regular source of distraction when educating Strax on the idiosyncrasies of the human species; his views of the current inhabitants of Earth were comical to say the least. It had provided many hours of entertainment over the last few months, but this time her mind seemed otherwise entertained. “Don’t Sontarans have novels and story books?”

“We live to die in the field of battle, we are soldiers, warriors. We do not to sit at home and write a little fairy tale about it.” He stood from his seat, and began to pour the tea, the domesticity of it was a contradiction to his words, an irony completely lost on the Sontaran.

“Of course you do.” Jenny took the offered cup, lifting an eyebrow at Strax, who was still oblivious to the paradox. She heard Vastra sigh from behind her newspaper, as she was about to enquire about her obvious frustration, the newspaper was unceremoniously flung across the room.

“Complete imbeciles.” Vastra took a sip of tea, her demure expression settling once again.

“Who’s got your goat up this time?” Jenny picked up the paper that had landed on the floor to her side, attempting to find the article that would have upset her mood.

“Page twelve. How is it that we can deliver a criminal on a proverbial plate and they are still inept at doing their job?” The article was in reference to a case that had solved just a week prior, they had apprehended the suspect and caught him in the process of committing another theft. Yet the Times reports that said suspect has somehow managed to escape the cell in which he had been locked. “I am positive that the new Inspector is completely incompetent.”

“He probably had a pick tucked away in one crevice or another.” Jenny scrunched her nose up at the thought. “He’s a thief, pickin’ locks is not difficult as long as you got the right tools.” She gave a wink in response to Vastra's wry smile. 

“Should have run the door down, would have been a lot quicker.”

“Strax, he was smaller than Jenny. Do you really think a being of barely five foot could..... never mind.” Vastra’s argument would have been superfluous. His own five foot stature and unnerving similarity to a battering ram proving her wrong. Vastra had picked up the envelope that had been left by her side with the mornings post, and showed the contents to Jenny, “My love, it seems your prediction was correct, albeit a day early.” the case was that of the rotting corpse found in the walls of the Red Lion, or as they had titled it, the case of the Lion's Prey. 


	36. Chapter 36

The sound of brush strokes against taught canvas filled the otherwise silent room, a sound so seemingly unremarkable, unimportant, inane, yet the way it seemed to touch every part of soft skin, tempting every fine hair to stand on its end as it reached for more, made it seem like the most pleasurable song ever created. Her eyes were closed to the rest of the world, as she sat with her back facing the source of the melody. The overbearing heat of the room caused a glistening shimmer to settle on the bare skin of her back, a contrast to the soft breeze of winter air as it flowed through the room from the cracked window, the fine wisps of hair that had fallen from the untamed bun a teasing caress as they danced across the base of her neck. A hitched breath caught in her throat as she followed the sound of the brush strokes, as they mimicked each gentle curve, she imagined ocean blue eyes following their path, moistened lips as they longed to taste. She didn't care if she never saw the painting; the unexpected thrill she was experiencing from merely being an artist’s muse was enough. She could feel her hands tighten around the loose material of the bed sheet as she followed her one instruction. _Don't move._ She needed to, just a little, just enough to quell the fluttering in her lower abdomen. She unclenched a hand from around the white linen sheet, lifting it slowly enough for the movement to be almost undetectable, her fingers grazed her outer thigh, the touch sent an electric pulse through her as they moved across her skin, she would have been surprised by the heat emanating from her own body if her mind was capable of any other thought but her ultimate goal. She held her breath, and listened for the sound that had brought her to this point in the first place, the soft scratch of the paintbrush as it mirrored her silhouette, a soft sigh escaped her lips as her fingers finally completed their journey, and began their mission. She knew she’d be caught, she wanted to be caught. Don’t move. She had to, and she wanted to. Each breath came quicker than the last, teeth bit at her bottom lip, a failed attempt to quieten the telling sighs. 

_You moved._

_I did._

_Don’t stop._

_I can’t._

“Jenny” 

A single whispered word caressed the shell of her ear, soft lips grazed the skin of her throat as she reached her free hand to the back of Vastra’s neck, pulling her closer. She felt the bed dip as Vastra came to kneel behind her, teeth nipped at her skin, a cool hand came to rest on top of her own as she continued to run her fingers over the hot, wet, silken flesh between her thighs. She continued, not letting Vastra take over, she was leading this dance. Jenny arched her back as Vastra laced her arm around Jenny’s waist, craving more contact, exposing her neck to the unrelenting lips that both cooled and burned her skin, she could no longer keep her silence, the once quiet room now filled with her soft voice, punctuated by ragged breaths. She felt herself tense as she moved closer to the edge, the vibration of Vastra’s own vocal cry of pleasure as she felt Jenny tense in her arms sent an immense jolt through her spine, finally sending her into the crashing waves of orgasm. 

“My dear, you do make it difficult to concentrate.” She connected her lips with Jenny’s in a slow and languid kiss, she felt the full weight of Jenny as she relaxed in her arms.

”Sorry.”

”No you’re not.”

”No, I’m not.” Jenny’s teasing smile was met with a feigned look of annoyance. “Did you get to finish?” 

”Almost, but I’m quite willing to let you fix that.” Vastra’s hands moved seductively across Jenny’s waist and came to rest on her hips, pulling her closer still. 

“I meant the painting!” Jenny laughed as Vastra’s scales grew darker, she loved to make her blush. “I did mean the painting, but I can’t help you finish that, I can help you with the other......”

She was interrupted by the knock at the front door.

”That would be our four o’clock.” Vastra placed one final kiss to Jenny’s lips as she rose from the bed, brushing the creases from the material of her dress, she took her gloves from the nightstand on her way to leave through the bedroom door. “I will have Strax put the kettle on the stove, join me when you are ready my love.” And with a wry smile and a teasing wink she watched as Jenny collapsed on her back with a huff, leaving her to bring herself back to grim reality. 

*****

“Ah Miss Flint, so nice of you to join us.” Vastra noticed the pink hue that still adorned Jenny’s cheeks as she walked into the room, fixing a pin in her hair as she did so. “You look rather flushed my dear, have you been exerting yourself again?” She couldn’t help the curl of her lip as she watched Jenny’s cheeks grow pinker still, under the gaze of their visitor who had turned to greet her.

“She working you too hard Miss Flint? Her indoors is lookin’ for a new chamber maid if you’re interested?” Inspector Gregson noted the glare directed to the lady of the house, “I jest of course, I’m sure Madame keeps you very well.”

“Oh she does, I’m very well kept.” Jenny didn’t attempt to hide the irritation in her voice, she was not kept, nor was she a chamber maid. Unfortunately this was something she was not in a position to correct should they want to keep on the side of the new Inspector. She noticed the way Vastra’s features softened from the teasing grin into an apologetic smile behind her veil, she reciprocated without a thought. Jenny noticed the tea had already been poured, and so took her place to the left of Vastra, standing alert and awaiting instruction as a dutiful maid would do.

“Miss Flint, the Inspector has managed to track down his one and only line of inquiry into the case of the Lions Prey, Mr & Mrs Richards of the Red Lion. He believes they are innocent of murder and nor are they guilty of the prevention of the lawful burial of a dead body.” Vastra flicked through the notes as she spoke, “I see that you have also determined the reason for the procurement of the gin barrels.”

“That’s right, he was makin’ a crib for his new babe, be here in a couple of weeks apparently. The Mrs has kept it hidden well.” Inspector chose his words carefully, “I mean, well, she’s a buxom lass, somethin’ decent to hold on to one might say....”

Vastra and Jenny shared a knowing smile as they watched the Inspectors eyes glaze over, as if he was somewhere else entirely. Jenny cleared her throat in an attempt to bring him back to the matter at hand.

“So why did he insist they be delivered in the middle of the night?” Jenny didn’t much care if their visitor thought she was speaking out of turn.

“Well, it was going to be a surprise for Mildred, we managed to spoil that for him though.” He took a final sip of his tea and stood from the chair, content that he had conveyed enough information on the case for the detective to find a swift solution to the matter. “Must be off, got a nice steak pie waiting for me.”

“Thank you Inspector.” She caught Jenny before she had followed the inspector from the room, and took her place as she led him out to the front door. She noticed the look of confusion on the inspectors face as he turned, expecting Jenny to be seeing him out, only to be met with the veiled detective herself, and the sight of the maid through the open door at the end of the hallway sitting quite comfortably in the chair that had just been occupied by her mistress.

“Yes, my pleasure, any help would of course be grateful Madame. All the best.” He walked out onto the dark winter street, hailing a cab as he did so.

As Vastra made her way back to the solarium, she smiled at the site of Jenny, already skimming through the file, making her own notes as she did so. She watched as a lose tendril of hair fell from place, only to be tucked safely behind her ear, her attention unwavering. Maybe she does work too hard. “My love, it’s almost five, I think I would like to leave this one until the morning, don’t you agree?”

“I spose your right, we’ll be here for hours if we get stuck into it now.” She took the offered hand as she stood, surprised at being suddenly enveloped in Vastra’s arms. She accepted the embrace with ease, lacing her arms around Vastra’s waist. 

“I am so very much in love with you Jenny Flint, I cannot wait to be you wife.” The feeling of closeness was one she was certain she would never tire of, the sweet perfume of lavender soap permeated her senses, but never bested the intoxicating scent that was Jenny. It was the scent of home. Her warmth was as intense as the summer sun, it had well and truly melted her once frozen heart. 

“Me neither.” Jenny reached up to place a soft kiss on cool lips. “Come on, haven’t you got a painting to finish?”

*****

“Strax!” Vastra waited a beat. “Strax?” And another. “Stra......!”

“Yes ma’am?”

Jenny could never understand how a cumbersome being like Strax managed to make the ever poised Silurian jump out of her skin in fright as he crept up behind her. In all their time together, Vastra could always sense her before she had even entered the room. She laughed silently with Strax, it was something he had learned to enjoy, his first practical joke and he was milking it for all he could before Vastra would manage to best him.

Vastra composed herself, tutting at the insolent children she seemed to be sharing her home with. “Bring the carriage to the front Master Strax, we’re off to the Yard.”

Jenny gave a Strax a look that would convey her amusement at him being in trouble, only to be caught in the act by Vastra.

“Miss Flint, your influence on that......man is incorrigible.” Vastra lifted an amused eyebrow, she was charmed by their ever growing bond of friendship, Strax was a nuisance sometimes, but the house would be unnaturally quiet without him now, and it had only been his home for two months. They seemed to bounce off of each other like only siblings would.

“Ever so sorry madam, please forgive me madam.” She finished off with a curtsey, and swiftly removed herself from the room with a nervous giggle at the wide eyed look she received at her antics. The jovial mood was clouded slightly at the thought of having to visit the mortuary physician. The smell of a dead corpse is not one she will ever get used to.

The journey to the Yard had been comfortably quiet so far, the gentle rocking of the carriage seemed to relax Jenny, almost enough for her to fall asleep. She watched out of the window at the passing streets, busy as usual with traders of all manner of items, bustling with life even in the chill of winter. Her mind seemed to wake when the sight of a church came into view.

“You know what you said last night,” Jenny spoke to Vastra, her eyes still trained on the world outside.

“I said a lot of things last night, some of which were not even English. You will have to be more specific my dear.” Vastra put her gloved hand over Jenny’s, it was unusually cold. “Where are your gloves?”

“In my pocket. What you said about being my wife.” Jenny turned to look into the deep azure eyes that she had fallen into a long time ago, almost forgetting her train of thought. “How are we ever going to find a Vicar to marry us without him fearing the wrath of the almighty?”

“Why would we need a vicar?” She smiled at the questioning expression. “We go back far enough, or forward far enough, we would be accepted with open arms. My dear, it is this insufferable period of time we find ourselves in that seems to be the issue. That and your _Almighty God.”_

“He ain’t mine, that’s for sure.” Jenny has lost any belief in religion once she had learned of homo-reptilia, existent since the dawn of time.

“We have a man with a magic box, there is an infinite number of galaxies, planets, universes and times at our disposal.” This didn’t seem to quell Jenny’s fear of the unattainable.

“They still wouldn’t call us Mrs & Mrs Flint down at the Yard though would they.”

“Mrs & Mrs Flint..... how presumptuous.” Vastra smiled at the thought, but couldn’t resist teasing.

“You know what I mean, I was just making a point.”

“Would you see me as your wife?”

“Of course, I think on some level I already do.” She laced their fingers together, remembering the first time their hands had met in such a way, in the back of a carriage, it seemed like a lifetime ago yet the memory of being touched in such an innocent, yet sensual way was brought back to her every time she felt cool scales against her own warm skin.

“Then that is all that matters.” Vastra was content that she had managed to dispel some semblance of doubt from Jenny’s mind, all she wanted was her happiness, in whatever form that took.

“Here!”

The loud banging of Strax’s fist on the roof of the carriage ended their moment of reflection, “Right, let’s get this over with.” Jenny’s stomach started to twist at the thought of having to inspect yet another rotting corpse.

“Indeed my dear.” Vastra accepted Strax’s hand as he assisted her from the step of the carriage, smirking as she watched him walk off, intentionally forgetting to assist Jenny. She reached out her hand for Jenny to take, amused at the glare she sent in the direction of the Sontaran as she stepped on to the cobbled street. “Let’s make this quick, I can feel my bones starting to freeze.”

“Don’t be so over dramatic. But I agree, quick as quick can be, I can already feel my breakfast pushing to make another appearance.”

“Delightful.”

*****

“Have you enquired about his tattoo?”

“What tattoo?” The doctor pushed his glasses further up his nose, as if it would make his sight all the better.

Vastra pointed to the dark patch of skin on the neck of the deceased, granted, it was impaired by the fact the flesh was already starting to detach itself from its host, embalming a cadaver this long after death didn’t always take, and would certainly not be able to reverse the process of rotting, but it was the smell of the ink that peaked her interest. This was the only patch of skin that seemed to be several shades darker.

“Ah, well, didn’t see that did I.” He took a closer look, and with a scalpel removed the thin layer of skin, he placed it down on the bench so that the outline of the mark could be seen from underneath. He ignored the sound of retching emanating from the corner of the room as he lifted a magnifying glass to his eye. “A snake.”

“And do you have a name for the deceased?” Vastra picked up the notes, the unintelligible scribble irked her. She hoped Jenny was making notes.

“I’ve been callin’ him Flash Jack, on account of this.” He took a pocket watch from the draw to his side, and handed it over to the detective.

Vastra didn’t need to look any closer to know this was an item of incredible value, and incredible mystery. “Now, pray tell, how does the property of the Earl of Wexford fall into the hands of cadaver hidden in the wall of a public house, over three hundred miles away, and across the Irish Sea?”

“I’m not sure I know ma’am.”

“Madame. And it was a rhetorical question.” Vastra placed the watch in her pocket, discarded the doctors notes and turned to leave the room. “Thank you doctor, I think we have all we need.”

Jenny didn’t wait another second before exiting the room, leaving the doctor with final retch as she did so. “I’ll never get used to that smell, I don’t know how you stand it.”

“I don’t, my gag reflex is just not as sensitive as yours.”

“Good to know.” Jenny followed on, grateful for the fresh cold air as it engulfed her, and excited at the prospect of a visit to Ireland.


	37. Chapter 37

It was the most ordinary of existences, yet there was something that was wholly magical about spiders. Watching intently at the way it spun its web in such a precarious position, yet completely purposeful, Jenny couldn't take her eyes from it. The intricate design of its perfect trap, something so beautiful but deadly to all that succumb to its grip. The morning dew settling on the silken strands as fast as they were being spun, the image it created was striking, it was hard to believe that this creature had formed it not with conscious thought, but that of natural instinct, an instinct to catch its prey and devour its remains. 

She looked from the window to the other two occupants of the room, Vastra and the Earl of Wexford currently deep in conversation. She couldn't help but enjoy the comparison. Vastra was indeed a beautiful creature, and yet a deadly one. Any man, or woman for that matter, that has succumbed to the wrath of the Silurian in her numerous years as a consulting detective, should think themselves lucky that they did not find themselves within the grasp of her claws, or suffer a shot of venom from her whip like tongue. Her mightiest weapon of all though, was her wit, and her superior intelligence. Jenny had seen her talk her way out, or indeed in, to any situation she so desires, and had been on the other end of that sharp mind on quite a few occasions. Many a man has been made to look a fool in front of the Great Veiled Detective, tripping over their own words as Vastra tied them in knots, trapped in her intricate disquisition, her very own spiders web. Once trapped, she would drain every last drop of confidence and intellect, a self-assured criminal emptied of any last remnants of optimism and hope at evading capture. Even an innocent man, as she knew The Honourable Samuel Christchurch to be, seemed to be stumbling over his words as if even he was unsure of his innocence. Vastra seemed to enjoy it, a game she liked to play to amuse herself. She watched on as she could make out the slight hint of a smile underneath the dark veil, her eyes were un-moving, staring directly at the Earl, piercing blue cutting through the material like daggers. Jenny's own wry smile mirrored that of her partner, as she enjoyed the moment of solitude by the window, appreciating the perfect view.

It had been only a matter of an hour or so since they had arrived at Park House, the charming home of the Earl and his only servant, his live-in butler Marcus Finnegan, and the pocket watch had already been found. Well, found was optimistic, but at least they had a good idea of where it may have been laid to rest. It was shortly after this moment that Jenny had started to regret the fact that Strax hadn't joined them on this occasion, opting to remain at 13 Paternoster Row in order to ensure its protection from invaders, however unlikely that may have been. 

"Miss Flint and I will see to the grave, if you could be so kind as to send Mr Finnegan to supply us with the means to begin the exhumation." Vastra turned to leave the room, heading for the garden at the back of the house, as the Earl followed behind. 

"Madame, I'm sure you and Miss Flint would rather I have one of the lads from the dock attend to my father's grave?" The Earl was a little taken back by the exuberance of the detective at the idea of digging up the grave of a man dead six years since. 

"I am quite capable, thank you. If my assumptions are correct, the ground will still be loose." Vastra made her way to the front entrance of the grand house, meandering through the hallway as if she had been there a hundred times before. The fresh morning air enveloped her, a slight hint of salt water filled her senses as the sea breeze whipped through the trees that lined the winding gravel road. There was a chill to the morning that was sharp against her skin as it seeped through the thin material of her dress, it was a small price to pay for the pleasure of the lush and green landscape of the small Irish sea town. Having travelled through the night, she was yet to feel the pull to sleep, but the cool air tempted her to find a warm place to rest. She looked to Jenny, her tired eyes were being hidden well, but the bright shine that Vastra knew so well was no more than a glowing ember. Jenny was a force, but even she needed her sleep. She smiled softly at Jenny, seeing her yawn without care for proper manners in the presence of a Gentleman, an Earl no less. 

"Not much farther now ladies, just towards the end of this courtyard." The Earl led them through an elaborate topiary of rich green foliage, perfectly formed into an impressive archway. Deep crimson roses had embedded themselves in the intricate swirl of the leaves, he came to a stop at the end of the walkway and gestured to the small piece of land shaded by a great oak. "You will find my father’s grave at the far right."

"Thank you. You are welcome to retreat to the house while we await master Finnegan." Vastra inspected the ground, which had indeed been disturbed. 

"Why don't you go in and have a nice cuppa? We'll get this whole matter sorted eh?" Jenny gave the man a soft smile as she placed a hand on his arm, a gentle nudge was enough to send him back to the house. She tried to stifle another yawn as she turned to Vastra, she had a small amount of the soil in her hand as she took in its scent. "I think I'm a bit lost. How is it that you think this watch as ended up in his dads grave?"

"Hidden in plain sight. The oldest trick in the b...." Vastra had missed the wide eyed look of shock on Jenny's face, she felt an intense jolt of pain to the back of her head, before the world around her faded to black. 

*****

"Jenny...Jenny! Please wake up....." Vastra tried in vain to keep her voice low, the darkened room was throwing off her sense as she regained consciousness, the force of a blow to the back of the head still pounded through her skull. She could make out Jenny's form laying far too still on the floor beside her, she clawed at the ropes around her wrists, letting them fall to the ground as she tore at the threads with ease. She moved to Jenny's side, grateful that she could still feel the warmth of her body as she placed a cool hand on her cheek, she felt the blood coursing through her veins but her breaths were shallow. The scent of fresh blood filled her nostrils, she felt a rage growing inside her as she desperately searched for the source, finding a deep gash on her side. "Oh my love, please wake up." 

Vastra had never felt so powerless, and had never felt so utterly useless. She held her close, willing her to wake up. She tore at the hem of her own dress, pushing the material against Jenny's side to stem the bleeding. She felt Jenny flinch as she pushed harder, but she still would not wake. Her eyes strained through the darkness to the pool of blood on the floor, grateful that it was only enough to fill a small sherry glass and nothing more. A superficial wound was not life threatening, unless infection took hold. Her senses were staring to sharpen as she took in her surroundings. The room was black, almost pitch, but her superior eyesight was no match for the darkness. The smell was harsh and left her throat raw as she drew in a breath, stale air and damp mixed with rotting wood and what smelt like animal waste, its only redeeming scent was that of the woman in her arms. Every sound was ear-splitting, no matter how muted. She could hear each thump of her own heart in rhythm with Jenny's, each ragged breath as it left her lips. 

"It's the chloroform."

"What did you do to her?" Vastra's senses had failed her, she chastised herself for not picking up the other human scent in the room, yet she refused to leave Jenny's side. If he had reason to kill them, he would have done it by now. Her voice was seeping with anger and fear as the words struggled over the tears threatening to fall. "I will rip you apart if.... if she doesn't wake up."

"She will wake, she will." 

The voice was nervous and afraid, a man’s voice, a familiar voice. 

"Samuel?" Vastra could barely make out a face through the dark shadow, but the voice was unmistakable. "Why did you do this?" She laid Jenny onto the hard cold floor as she stood and followed the voice. 

"It wasn't me! Madame, you must believe me, I have only just managed to come to my senses, but I can smell the remnants of the chloroform right under my nose." He strained through the darkness at the shadowed figure looming over him, he could hear a faint growl crawl through the room, as if a wild animal was stalking its prey. "Madame? That is you, isn't it?" His voice began to shake as the rumbling grew ever closer. 

"It is, but that should not calm you. Quite the reverse." Her voice was barely a whisper, but the threatening tone was thunderous. She heard a faint scraping of shoes against the hard stone floor as he tried to back away from her. She could see that he had been bound with rope just as she had been, but that did not stop her. Her anger needed a target. "How is it you are not to blame? I have come to YOUR home, to assist YOU, in the disappearance of YOUR family heirloom."

"Well, what I mean to say is, this is not my doing." His words came out in a stutter, he could not see the woman now mere inches from his face, but there was something extremely unnerving about her presence, she seemed different somehow, from the woman he had invited into his home. "She will come around soon, I'm sure of it." His voice was timid, he would never admit it aloud, but he was fearful of his life, not because of the actions of whoever deemed it appropriate to drug them and lock them in his basement, but because of who they had locked him in there with. 

Vastra was mere inches away from his face, as she took in the petrified man before her she realised that he was as much in captivity as she and Jenny were. Her energy would be best used to find means of an exit, rather than take out her anger on the man now determined to remove himself from her presence. "I hope to goddess you are right." She returned to Jenny's side, her breathing had gained strength and blood had stopped seeping from her wound. She took in her surroundings again, there was a slither of daylight entering from under a crack in the door at the top of a steep set of stone stairs, she sat silent as she heard the peal of the large grandfather clock they had passed in the hallway, she counted each chime as it echoed through the house. Eleven. They must have only been in here mere minutes, thirty at most. She was thankful that they were still in the vicinity of their luggage, and more importantly, their weaponry. "Mr Christchurch, we need to get out of here. Tell me, where is the drawing room in relation to our current position?" Vastra smiled, already formulating a plan, as she watched the Earl point with a shaky finger to the ceiling above them. 

*****

"We shoulda feckin' killed it." 

"Then what would we do with it?"

"Bury it!" 

"You're a one to talk, feckin' bury it. You're an eejit Flann." He bit at his nails as he looked around the room for any inspiration. Having discovered the true identity of the Veiled Detective, he was now quite sure that this would be worth more money to them than the pocket watch they had hidden for safe keeping. "Feckin' bury everytin. That's your plan. If we hadn't buried that watch in the old masters grave, we wouldn't be in this mess now would we?"

"We already got the Garda on our backs for the last job. If they found that watch as well we'd a' been up for a swing." Flann paced the room, the floorboards creaking beneath his feet making him nervous, knowing that the creature was just below them. "Face it Eamon, that was the one place they weren't gonna look." 

"Oh were they not? How's is it that someone decided to bloody dig it up then! By Jesus you're a feckin' donkey." Eamon finally relented that he had no more finger nails left to bite at. He was sure there would be some interest in a beast with green scales, disguising itself as a widowed lady. He could count at least seven travelling shows that would jump at the chance to add it to their main attractions. This was too good for that though, this was worth a lot more than a few pounds, even dead. "We're takin the beast down to Kilmore, leave the other two there."

"Oh not Jimmy bloody Goldfinch. Wish would feck off back to America." Flann was eager to make some money out of this situation as well, but if that meant having to cross paths with the insufferable Jimmy Goldfinch again, he was almost tempted to scarper. 

"He's pockets are over flowin', and he'd dig right deep down for even a gawp at that green scaled creature." 

"Even so, he's does my head in so he does. Walkin' around like he owns the place, if Uncle Darra was still kickin' about he'd 'ave somethin' to say about it." 

"Well, good job he's not then!" Eamon felt that a swift hand to the back of Flann's head would put an end to their bickering, yet only managed to fuel a scuffle one would usually see on the school playground. 

*****

"Why is it they always feel the need to sell me?" Vastra whispered under her breath as her hands pulled gently at the floorboards above her. 

"What are they talking about, a green beast?" The Earl was a little perplexed as he listened on to the conversation above them. He recognized the names, Flann and Eamon. Once old groundskeepers of his fathers. He couldn't help but feel partly responsible for the situation they were now in, having laid them off once his father had passed away. But the nonsense about a scaled creature was leaving him somewhat confused. 

"Mr Christchurch. Samuel. I feel there is something I must tell you, or it may come as rather a shock when the darkness of this room is finally lifted." Vastra wiped her hands on the front of her dress as she came to sit next to Jenny once more, her worry increasing at her stillness, the chloroform should have worn off by now. She ran the back of her hand over the soft warm skin of her cheek, mainly to ease her own fears, the warmth comforted her slightly. "I am green, and I am scaled, and I am not..." She waited a breath, "Human."

"N... n.... not human? Whatever do you mean!" His previously calmed voice now returned to it's shaky, panicked tone.

"I am of a different species. All you need to know, is that I am not a danger to you, unless of course, you are a danger to me. Are we clear?" Vastra brushed Jenny's hair away from her face as she spoke, silently willing her to wake. "And while we are at it, Jenny is not my maid, or my assistant, or under my employ in any manner. She is the woman I love, and I am to marry her." She placed a soft kiss to her forehead, "And if that displeases you, that is an issue of your own, not of mine." It felt somewhat freeing to voice what they have always kept hidden, in this moment all that mattered was the woman in her arms. The room was silent again, the odd murmur from the two men above them could be heard faintly as they continued to bicker. “I need to get her to safety, she should have woken by now.”

"I... well, I understand." The Earls voice was soft, wavering slightly, "Marucs, my butler, well, he isn't my butler." 

Vastra could hear the smile in the Earls voice at the admission. "You love him?"

"I do." 

"Well then, let's get out of here so we can get you back to Marcus." 


	38. Chapter 38

Finger nails scraped at bare wood, splintered shards falling to the floor at her feet. Any other time she would be concerned about the affect this would be having on her carefully and purposefully manicured claws, but this was not the time for vanity. Vastra made easy work of the board, revealing enough light to see into the room above. She only need loosen it a little further, the nervous marching of their captors above them would soon reach the intended spot, as it had done seven times since. A heavy foot was the most important integer in her calculated summation. 

"Mm...Ma'am?"

A drowsy voice reached Vastra's ears, the steady rhythm in her chest quickening its step. She had been without that voice in many moments before, and had never craved to hear it as fiercely as she had in these last few minutes. As she reached her side, she smiled at the way Jenny stretched out her limbs as a young lion cub would do, yawning as if waking from a night’s sleep. She laced her arm around Jenny's back as she came to rest on her knees beside her, allowing her thighs to be used as a sturdy pillow. She brushed the stray hairs from her forehead as tired eyes looked up into her own, feeling her throat contract as she fought to hold back the tears threatening to fall, unnecessary tears that need not be shed. Her over active minds' embellishment of the situation only served to cause her needless anxiety. She chided herself for her weakness, yet accepted the fact that this over-emotional and over-protective behaviour would be commonplace with Jenny in her life. She placed a kiss to soft lips, a sigh escaping her own as the tenseness of the situation released its tight hold. 

"Hmmm... that was nice." Jenny could feel something was off, their bed did not usually cause this much discomfort. The room was not their own but she was yet to reach this conclusion, having been welcomed as she was every morning, by the enticingly cool lips of her mistress. 

"My love, sleep well?" Vastra could sense that Jenny hadn't quite awoken from her forced slumber, a moment more was needed before her admittance at their situation was thrust upon the young woman in her arms. 

"Uhh...I think....my back is kil.......Where the bloody hell are we?" Jenny sat bolt upright, leaning into the arms holding her close. The room was dark, save for a slither of light from a door on the far side of the room, and oddly, a small hole in the ceiling above. Not enough to make sight easy, but enough to make out the silhouette beside her. It was the dank odour that Jenny didn't recognise, it was jarring to wake up to something other than the smell of her home, fresh linen and coal fires, it was a small comfort to know the scent beside her was as captivating and exotic as the day she first encountered it.

"Don't be alarmed my dear, take a moment to remember. We are at the Earl's residence, in Wexford." 

"It's true Miss Flint, we seem to have been compromised."

Vastra felt Jenny tense at the other voice in the room, her obvious unease was noted as she felt herself being pushed away. "Jenny, my love, it's alright."

_It's not alright! You just kissed me and there's someone else here!_

_My dear, her cannot see, the room is dark._

_I'm sure he can hear quite well._

"Jenny, the Earl is aware that you are.... my... well, not my maid." Vastra seemed to be tripping over her words. It was unlike her to be unsure of herself, but the correct term eluded her. 

"Indeed I am Miss Flint. You need not hide yourself from me." The Earl could make out movement in front of him, the darkened outline of two figures, seemingly held within one another's arms. His mind had not left that of his dear Marcus, he feared for what may have become of him. The shadows of the two women in front of him made his heart ache for his own love.

"Right. Well, that's all well and good but what the bloody hell are we doin' down here?" Jenny got to her feet, brushing off the dust that she imagined had managed to cling to her dress, but unable to see to what extent. The searing pain that shot through her side as she swept at the cloth stabbed at her as if she was receiving the wound anew. "Oh great. Another scar."

"I think they are quite becoming of a lady, one of the many assets I find attractive about you." Vastra nudged Jenny with her elbow and followed with a wink that went unappreciated in the darkness of the room. It was a feeble attempt to lighten the dim mood they find themselves in. 

Jenny cleared her throat, unsure of how to react to the situation. On the one hand, she wanted to shout from the rooftops of her and Vastra's love for one another, have everyone know that her heart belongs to the most wonderful, beautiful being on this earth, but on the other, the open, and quite frankly, slightly over the top flirting in front of another person made her feel uneasy and uncomfortable. Not with embarrassment or shame, but with fear. She feared what people would think of her, and of Vastra. She feared that something she held so dear, would be met with the disgust and hatred that met any person that dared not fit the norm. 

As if sensing Jenny's unease, Vastra broke the stale silent air. "This is the plan. We have two men pacing the room above, to the right of us is where Marcus set down our bags on arrival. I have loosened the floor board above, enough to render it unstable once the weight of approximately fifty kilograms or above is set upon them, but not enough to cause the board to move as to alert them to our movements. Jenny, when the time comes, you are to use that step stool to gain entrance to the room above. Retrieve your sword, and let instinct dictate the conclusion." 

"Yes ma'am." Jenny straightened her mind, and readied herself to follow instruction. 

"Once dispatched with our captors, we must find Marcus. The Earl is fearful for his whereabouts." Vastra moved towards the loosened board, listening for their movements. Each step moved closer, but before reaching its ideal destination, he turned on a heel and began pacing again. Vastra's patience was wearing thin, she had intended to take them by surprise, while rendering one of them incapacitated, unconscious would have been preferred. The cold damp of the basement seemed to be binding itself to her skin, the agitation of it reaching her temper. Any longer and she will take matters into her own hands and tear the board from its place. 

"I could just pick the lock." 

"Now where would be the fun in tha......" Just as Vastra attempted to make light of her oversight, a thundering crash sounded through the room, a stream of light shone like a spotlight, a boot clad foot now centre stage as it dangled from the ceiling above. Her hand grasped at the spindly ankle, yanking it with such a force that she was surprised the limb was not torn from its place. She watched as the man squirmed on the cold floor, shock etched on his features at the sight before him. "How dare you." Vastra's voice was calm, quiet, yet unfathomably chilling. "How dare you touch her. You foul human specimen. You ape, you injudicious....." 

Jenny clambered up the step stool, pulling herself up through the hole in the ceiling to reach the room above, her sword coming to hand as she riffled through their bag of belongings, alert and ready for the coming attack. She could hear Vastra in the room below, her voice making the hairs on her neck stand on end in both fear and in a thrill of pleasure, each of her words punctuated by cries of fear. As she turned to face her opponent, it was not the sight of the cowardly man shrinking away in the corner that made the hand at her sword hilt tighten, but the towering figure of an other-worldly creature leaning over him. 

*****

Jenny sipped at her lukewarm tea as she listened to the story unfold. She grimaced as the tepid liquid slipped down her throat, agitated that it had been left to sit so long. She glanced at the mass of limbs across the room, four arms entangled with four legs, two heads poking out at awkward angles, the four scarlet red claw marks across one of the faces evidence of Vastra's anger, the purple bloody nose of the other evidence of its connection with Jenny's fist. A paltry act of retribution for seeing him render Vastra unconscious with a spade, but satisfying none the less. She smiled wickedly at the way in which Vastra had decided to restrain Eamon and Flann, reminding herself of the patience and skill at which she tied each knot of rope so purposefully. Their struggling had subsided, surrendering to defeat as they rest uncomfortably entwined in rope, their beady eyes scanning the room as their mouths dare not whisper a word should they want to remain alive. 

"Have you ever heard of the tale of the changelings? A babe taken from its mother, to be replaced by one of another kind. In truth, they..... we are not fairies as the people of these lands believe." Marcus' eyes had not dared turn themselves away from the Earl, his ashen face blank of expression as he found the truth of his lover’s ancestry. It wounded him to see no sense of recognition on his features, a face that once held such admiration and adoration now without even acceptance. "I am a Cratigenta. We live in the trees, in the forest, peacefully I might add. It is true that our kind have outdated ritualistic beliefs that each generation, a chosen offspring would be gifted to the dwellers of these lands, in gratitude of keeping our land so green and free. A gift. I have not seen it as such."

Vastra was intrigued to say the least. It was not often that she would come across a being from this planet or any other that she had not heard tales of before. "It is rather fascinating, pray tell, how is it that you have managed to hide your true self from Samuel? You are for all intents and purposes, a ten foot hair covered beast in your natural state."

Jenny shot Vastra a pointed look, conveying unspoken words.

"I of course do not intend to be impolite." Vastra continued. 

_Better._

The look was returned, being berated by Jenny both irked and excited her. 

"With very little difficulty, usually. It is a mental state that dictates the physical. Keep calm, and I remain in human form. Fear is what transforms me, it is a defence mechanism." 

"It is fear for your life that transformed you?" Vastra inquired, her intrigue unwavering. 

"Not of mine, no." Marcus looked again to the other man in the room, hoping to convey the meaning in his words. 

"Ah. I see." Vastra felt something akin to sorrow for the man currently revealing his true self to the person he loves, only to be met with a blank expression and silence. She understood what it meant to be accepted, especially by the person you hold most dear. Imagining how she would have felt if Jenny would have looked at her the same way left her feeling cold, colder than usual. 

"Why don't we get you off to bed eh?" Jenny could sense the unease in the room, she moved to the Earls side, taking his arm in hers as she led him from the room. "You've had a busy day." She glanced at the clock on the mantle, the hour still early.

"It's the fifth door on the right as you reach the top of the stairs." Marcus watched as the two left the room, unable to settle his mind.

"He will come around." Vastra placed a hand on the convincingly human skin of Marcus' arm. 

"I don't want him to come around, I want him to....I don't know what I want him to do. I am beginning to believe this will be the end for us." A stray tear rolled down his pink flushed cheek, leaving evidence of his pain in its wake. "To him, I am a monster."

"I do believe he would have fled should that be the case." She tried to ease the worry evident on Marcus' features. "He has had quite a strenuous day."

"Ah but, If I may be bold Madam, you are a beautiful creature, skin the colour of the forest, of the life it holds, your eyes like the sky itself. I am a _hairy beast_ as you so elegantly put it." His eyes were fixed on his hands, their state very much human, but he knew of their true form. 

"Well, thank you, and I apologise for my insensitive words, but you should not think so little of them, humans. They are for the most part, quite unreasonable and fearful of most things they do not know, but you will find that this species has anomalies. I believe you have found yourself one." She thought to Jenny, her very own beautiful irregularity. 

"I do hope you are right." His mind had not eased, it was requiring every ounce of self-control not to run to the Earls side, to take him in his arms. He would wait, he would wait forever if that's what it took. "I know we should continue this in the morning, once Samuel is feeling.... better, but I am ever so intrigued. How is it that you came to the conclusion that the pocket watch had been buried in his father’s grave?"

Jenny had chosen this moment to return to the drawing room, the knowing, almost smug smile on Vastra's face was evident that she was about to reveal the secret to her investigative deduction.

"Truths and roses have thorns about them." 

"Sorry, she gets a bit over dramatic." Jenny sat back in the arm chair she had occupied moments before, smirking at the way she had interrupted Vastra's oncoming monologue. "The only place there are roses is down by the grave, so how come there were rose petals scattered through the hedges down the carriage way? Someone had been up there, and if they're escaping through the bushes, then they were up to no good."

"Thank you Jenny, for that.....direct explanation." Vastra was full of pride at Jenny's own deduction. She would never admit it but she was using all of her might to hide the pout that was threatening to appear at the way she had been thieved of the elaborate retelling of the case, the part that she relished so much. "It seems our pair of.....ne'er-do-wells are even less competent than we originally thought."

“Pair of daft buggers if you ask me.” Jenny reached over to her tea cup, a frown on her face at seeing just the tea leaves scattered about the bottom. “Any chance of another cuppa?”


	39. Chapter 39

“Do you think they’ll be alright, Samuel and Marcus?” Jenny sat upright against the headboard, the soft down pillow cushioning her bruised back. The bed was softer than her own, the sheets a little more starched than she would have liked. She inwardly laughed at her own thoughts, she would never have imagined she would be silently complaining about the starchiness of bed sheets and the softness of a mattress this time two years ago.

“I do hope so.” Vastra wrung out the cloth once more, the warm clear water now tainted with a ripple of crimson. She placed the cloth delicately on to Jenny’s side, ridding it of the dried blood. The warm bath had opened the wound once more, the gash was not deep, but it required a needle and thread. She exhaled a despondent sigh she braced herself to break the news to Jenny.

“I know, just do it quick and give me something to bite on.”

“Later, let me stitch you up first.” Vastra giggled at her own joke, feigning a shock of pain at the flick to her nose. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist. Here.” She handed her one of her leather gloves, although she was quite aware of the sharpness of Jenny’s teeth, she was sure the leather would be safe from permanent damage.

“Nhhmm hmmmn hmmnmmh hmmn hmm.”

“I know my dear, I hope the morning will bring a fresh perception for Samuel.” She smiled at the way Jenny spoke though gritted teeth, surprised that she could make a coherent sentence out of the muffled noise. “As you say, a good night’s sleep will help.” She pulled at the thread, the last stitch neatly parallel to the other four as she tied off the end, using her teeth to cut the excess. “There, all done.” She placed a soft kiss next to the wound, Jenny’s warm skin as inviting as ever.

“Thank you.” Jenny patted the bed beside her, a request for Vastra to join her. She took a cool scaled hand in her own, her eyes closed to the dying light of the candle to her side, the warm hearth heating the room from the winter night. “Would you still love me if I was ten foot tall and covered in hair?”

“My love, you are already covered in hair. And an extra few feet would come in quite handy, you would be able to reach the jam yourself.” Vastra glanced to her side, watching as Jenny laughed, grimacing as the movement pulled at her fresh stitches. “Jenny, if you have something to tell me then let’s not skirt about the issue.”

“You’ve nothing to worry about, I’m human. Well, as far as I’m aware.”

“That’s a shame.”

“Oi!” Jenny took the pillow from behind her back, bringing it quite swiftly to Vastra’s midriff. The satisfying puff of air that escaped Vastra’s lips at the shock of the blow was rewarding.

“That was deserved.” Vastra took the pillow from Jenny, placing it on her lap for Jenny to rest her head on. “My love, you are divinity personified, a creature of heavenly beauty, you are exquisitely breath-taking and commandingly powerful. Whether that be in human form or any other, it would not change the woman that you truly are,” She brushed the freshly washed hair from her eyes, noticing how they had fallen closed once more. Her soft steady breathing a sure sign that she had fallen into a deep sleep, “The woman I have fallen so deeply and wonderfully in love with.”

Just as Vastra was allowing sleep to claim the remaining hours of the day, the soft light of a candle shone from under the door, footsteps crept across the landing as they passed the room. She heard a soft whisper, the whisper of a man anxious and despondent.

“ _Marcus?”_

A Smile graced her lips as she relented to sleep, confident that the case would reach the happy ending that she and Jenny so dearly wanted.

*****

The room was cold, achingly so. The fireplace held no more than ash remnants. The only relief was the warm body coiled around her back, arms wrapped tightly around her middle as fingers grazed idly at the scales of her stomach. She pulled the sheets over her head, shielding her eyes from the glaring sunlight flooding into the room as she bathed in the warmth radiating from her bed mate. It was these simple moments of her existence that she adored more than any other. Not a thought of the world about them or the unpleasantness it holds, just a simple moment in time that is theirs, beyond the reach of reality. 

“It’s rude for guests to sleep in.” Jenny voiced languidly.

Almost beyond the reach. 

“I don’t intend to sleep.” Vastra replied as she turned in Jenny’s arms. Her lips found Jenny’s without hesitation, heat seared through her skin as she pulled her closer.

“As much as I want this to carry on, I think this is probably just as rude as sleeping.” She placed one last peck to Vastra’s lips as she got up from the bed, smiling at the way Vastra huffed, immediately recoiling under the sheets. "Besides, we've still got to work out how a replica watch ended up in the hands of a man that... ended up dead. And god knows what Strax has been up to while we've been away." She laughed at the groan emanating from underneath the mound of starched linen. "Come on grumpy guts."

“Does it bother you?”

“What?” Jenny stumbled slightly as she stepped into her petticoat. "Dead people?"

“That they know.” Vastra was attempting to tread carefully, she did not want to come across as angry or hurt, but the memory of being pushed away in that moment seemed to stick with her. She was just curious.

“Know what?” Jenny's confusion at being asked if she was troubled by the knowledge held by corpses was evident on her face. 

Vastra rolled her eyes. Jenny was going to make this difficult.

“That someone else knows about the fact that you and I are.....of our Sapphic qualities.” Vastra smiled at Jenny’s sharp loud chuckle. "In the cellar, you seemed....uncomfortable."

“No, I don’t think it does. Well, maybe. I’m not sure.” Jenny thought about it, it was true that when they were in the cellar she did feel an awkwardness at that the Earl being witness to something they had trained themselves so strictly to hide, but on reflection it was rather thrilling, in a way that made her question whether one day they may be able to announce it to the world and not fear rejection from it. She tied the lace of her corset as best she could without the aid of another pair of hands and pulled her dress over her hips. "It's something I could get used to." As she fastened the final button on her bodice, she made her way to the edge of the bed, and peaked under the mound of sheets, its captive still shrinking away from the daylight. She placed a soft kiss to Vastra's forehead, mirroring the smile she received in return. "I'll put the kettle on."

"That would be most agreeable my dear." Vastra closed her eyes as Jenny retreated from her fortress as contentment settled within her once more. A few more seconds passed before the cold empty bed lost its appeal, craving instead the warmth of tea. 

*****

As Jenny reached the bottom of the staircase, she could hear soft voices from the scullery. She hated to pry but the sound of laughter seemed to tempt her towards it. As she moved closer, she made a point to step a little louder, clearing her throat so that the occupants were aware of her imminent arrival. 

"Ah Miss Flint, top of the morning."

"And the rest of the day to yourself!" 

Jenny smiled at the way Marcus and Samuel had greeted her, like a double act on the London stage. She could smell the sweet yet salty aroma of smoked bacon, the whistle of the kettle rang through the air. She watched as the two men moved about the room together, preparing the tea tray and attending to the skillet, each of them knowing where the other was instinctively as they danced from one side of the scullery to the other. It was a blissful contentment that she very much related to.

"Mornin', and Jenny will do fine, thank you. Anything I can do? Madam will be down shortly." Jenny smiled as she captured the moment, watching as Samuel placed a quick kiss to Marcus's cheek. 

"You need not call her Madam, Jenny. Unless of course...." He raised a single eyebrow as one side of his lips curled into a mischievous grin.

"Sam, you'll scare the poor lass. You call her whatever you like, just know you are welcome here." Marcus patted Jenny's hand, as he placed a fresh pot of tea on the table in front. "You can be mother."

"That I can do." Jenny wasted no time in preparing the tea, knowing Vastra would be down immanently, and also to hide the blush that had crept on her cheeks at Samuel's remark. If he only knew, he would be the one sporting the rosy red cheeks. She set out the cups and saucers as she looked about the room, noticing how even in this grand, opulent house, there was a feeling of homeliness. The room was warm, but the warmth was not from the wood burner or the stove, it was emanating from the two utterly enchanted men that were its occupants. She glanced to the doorway as the warmth seemed to grow, in time to see Vastra make her appearance, veil-less and quite bright for someone that loathed early mornings. She watched as she sat at one of the empty chairs, peaking into the china cup as she did so, a disappointing look on her features as she found it empty. 

"Good Morning Samuel, Marcus." Vastra eyed the teapot in Jenny's hand, she craved the warmth of the liquid, the cold still had its grasp on her. Her focus was so intently on the necessity for heat that she almost missed the soft kiss to her cheek. Her eyes widened in surprise at the gesture for a moment, before her features softened and she leaned into the kiss. "Good morning my love." 

"Mornin' my ducks." Jenny tried to hide the smile, it was such a small gesture but immense in its significance. She could see Marcus and Samuel eyeing each other as they finished with breakfast, a knowing smile shared between the two of them. It was an acceptance she had craved, but had never expected in this lifetime. The sound of plates and cutlery prompted her to take her seat, the rumbling of her stomach echoed embarrassingly loudly. "Sorry." 

*****

It was the last few miles of any journey that always seemed as if time slowed. The desire for the comforts of home so close, yet still not within reach. Jenny stared through the carriage window, the roads growing busier, the rumble of the city growing closer. The contrast of the fresh Irish sea air was a distant memory. It wasn't that the London air was completely acrid, she enjoyed the smell of warm freshly baked bread as she passed the bakers, or the crisp smell of citrus and flowers as she walked through the markets in summer, and how could she forget the sweet scent of lemon sherbets as she passed Whitaker's Royal Confectioners, but to any outsider it would take some getting used to. She hoped that Samuel and Marcus would take them up on an offer of a tour of the capital, she smiled at the thought of having someone else to call a friend. 

"What are you thinking about?" 

It's as if Vastra could sense thoughts in the air. 

"I'm glad they worked things out. It must have been hard for Sam, a bit of a shock to find out the person you've known for so many years isn't who you thought they were." Jenny's gaze drifted to the night sky, the cloudless sky littered with stars. 

"It seems their bond is strong. Although I am sure that it will not be easy for them, I do see a joy between them that I know so well." Vastra took Jenny's hand in hers, bringing her close to her side. "Almost home." 

The end of Paternoster Row came into view, the sound of the hooves and crunch of the carriage wheels over the cobbled road travelled through the quiet winter night. Vastra pulled down her veil, but she pushed her gloves into one of her pockets. Jenny noticed the gesture but said nothing of it.

"It is dark. It is highly unlikely that the driver will notice." Vastra readied herself for the door to be opened, "Besides, I am growing quite weary of all of this concealment and secretiveness. Give me just this one thrill of freedom my dear."

"You can have as much as you like." She smiled at the way Vastra took her hand once more, not letting go as she would usually do when the privacy of the carriage was interrupted by the opening of the door. She noticed how the driver glanced at their hands, but it surprised her that his mood did not shift, nor did his gaze linger. It was as if it mattered not to him, and maybe it didn't. She accepted Vastra's aid in stepping out of the carriage, thanking the driver as he closed the door and pocketed his coins. The sound of the carriage faded into the night as they stepped up to the front door, cold hands fumbled with the key as Jenny's tired limbs ached from the days travel. As she pushed open the door, the sight that met them was both concerning and amusing. 

"Strax?" She tried softly at first, Jenny was being no help as she giggled at the sight of the Sontaran asleep on his feet, his mouth slightly agape as a rumbling snore escaped, yet stood quite proudly as if waiting to accept visitors. "Srax!" 

"Ah you're back. Madam, boy, can I take your coats. There is fresh tea in the parlour."

"Strax, how long have you been stood there?" Jenny handed over her coat as she made her way through the house, inspecting for any signs of damage.

He glanced at the clock on the wall as he calculated, "Six hours." he hung up the coats, and brought the cases in from the doorstep, smiling as he turned to face the two women, "You will be pleased to know, the house has not been infiltrated, damage remains at a minimum level, and we do not have a new pet."

There was a great deal in that short sentence that required further embellishment, but the hour was late, and it was a comfort to see that the house was still standing. "Thank you Strax." Vastra followed Jenny through the hallway, reaching the parlour just as Jenny set the kettle on the stove.

"It's stone cold."

"Well, apparently he made it six hours ago." Vastra sat at the head of the table, this morning’s newspaper was laid out as it usually would be each day. "Strax, you did not need to stand guard at the door and await our arrival." 

"Of course ma'am. I was merely practicing my strategical and tactical offensive capabilities."

"You fell asleep." Jenny raised an eyebrow at him.

"I did no such thing!" 

"If you say so." She took her place by the side of Vastra, as Strax poured the now satisfyingly hot tea. "It's nice to be home."

"It is my love, please do not bring this up at any point in the future, but I am slightly mortified to say that I have actually missed him." Her smile brightened the room as she took in the comforts of home, and her family. Until her eyes reached the front page of the Telegraph. "Oh not again."


	40. Chapter 40

The case of Flash Jack the Lion’s Prey was almost at its end. Having concluded that the pocket watch he had in his possession was nothing but a very expertly made, but completely inferior copy in terms of the material it had been made from, the question as to where it came from had been answered by the victim’s father. Having been initially irritated at the fact that the papers had managed to get hold of the story before it had reached its conclusion, Vastra was grateful for the fact that it had tied another loose strand of this intricate tapestry. To see an end to this case would be gratifying. The name, “Jack” seemed to be hanging over her for far too long, as if the now infamous Jack the Ripper was haunting her. Beliefs in hell, or the afterlife, where not something she had contemplated on for too long, but she hoped to her goddess that if such a place existed, that is where Jack the Ripper would be spending a never ending suffering. It had been three months since that night, since she had last experienced the taste of human flesh, a taste she had no concern in admitting she now found nauseating, the taste was now marred by the memory of its repulsive soul.

She looked over to Jenny, staring listlessly as she usually did through the carriage window at nothing and everything as it passed her by, she could not help but smile in adoration. She wondered if her thoughts would take such dark turns as her own, if the life they lead left its mark, if it scarred her. She was a soul like no other, innocent yet worldly, so young, but so wise. It was if she had known this world far longer than her years would have you believe. She had never met another quite like her, and was sure she would never again.

“What you thinkin’ about?” Jenny’s eyes remained fixed through the carriage window, smiling as she watched a street performer fall foul of the mischievous street children as they made off with his hat.

“What makes you think my mind is anywhere but here?”

“You’re sighing.” She turned to look at Vastra, taking her hand in her own as she did so. “A lot.”

“I apologise my dear.” She placed a gentle kiss to Jenny’s knuckles. “They are sighs of contentment.” She rested her head on the back of the seat, her eyes now closed to the daylight, enjoying the warmth of Jenny’s hand as she brushed her thumb over the soft skin.

“You don’t need to apologise for being content.” Jenny moved over to the other side of the carriage, resting her head on Vastra’s shoulder.

“That is fortunate. It seems to be happening a great deal recently.” Vastra’s eyes opened as she felt Jenny’s other hand on her forehead, she smiled as she saw the false concern in her eyes, as if she was troubled by her health. “I am quite well my dear.” Silence settled in the carriage once more, a pleasing comfortable silence. Vastra closed her eyes to the world, soaking up the warmth now pressed snugly to her side. 

“Ma’am, we have arrived. Would you like me to assist you in removing the boy?” Strax threw open the carriage door, inviting in the sharp sting of the cool wind.

“For the last time Strax, I am not a boy. And I can remove myself. Thank you very much.” Jenny stretched her arms above her head, having spent the last few minutes of the carriage ride at an awkward angle. Stepping out into the brisk air, she looked on the small quaint house, attached to a small but very picturesque church. She hadn’t expected the address to be that of a clergyman, but of a silversmith. She had pictured something quite different. She turned to see Vastra as she joined her at the gate, looking on to the charming home of Henry Swan.

“Strax, if you could....” Before Vastra had a chance to finish, a stout red faced man came bounding up the pathway. His cherubic face adorned with a smile so utterly genuine she had very little power to resist it. His cassock bunched at his ankles as his short legs tried in vain to keep up with his enthusiasm.

“Ah Miss Vastra, Miss Flint, how wonderful. Do come in, do come in!”

Jenny could sense the irritation exuding from Vastra; she was surprised that she had refrained from offering a correction to how she should be addressed. It crossed her mind that it was a possibility that she was starting to soften after all.

“I am not going soft.”

“I hope you’re not being nosy.”

“No my love, I do not need to see into your mind to know how it works.” Vastra followed on, through the sparse cemetery that surrounded the church, noting at how few headstones there seemed to be. She waited for Jenny to enter before her, noting at how even she felt the need to duck a little as she entered the small cottage. “Strax, wait in the carriage, we don’t intend to be here for long.”

“Mr....Father Swan?” Jenny held out her hand for the man to shake. “Jenny Flint. And this is Madame Vastra.

“Charmed, charmed.” He shook her hand vehemently, his surprisingly strong grip shaking her arm in a comical manner. “And Miss Vastra. Charmed!”

Jenny’s subtle correction had not worked. “Madame Vastra and I believe you have some information for us?” She tried once more.

“Yes, yes, please, take a seat. I have some camomile tea if I can tempt you?” He lifted the pot, steam billowing from the spout like an enchanted Cobra.

“That would be quite agreeable Father.” Vastra took a seat closest to the fire once she had ascertained that she was not taking that of their host. She eyed the threadbare armchair to her opposite, the cushion dented with that of a regular guest. She took the offered cup, the sweet smell easing her tense muscles before she had even taken her first sip. “Forgive me, but we were told you were the father of our victim, a silversmith.” Vastra was perplexed, and agitated. She disliked being given the incorrect information; it gave the impression of amateurism.

“Quite right. Quite right.” Father Swan took a seat in the disheveled chair, it creaking in protest as he did so. “Although, if you are looking for a silversmith you are ten years too late.” He took a slurping gulp of tea, swishing it about his mouth before swallowing it down. “I am his father, but I am no longer a silversmith as you can see.”

“Indeed.” Vastra looked questioningly to Jenny, who shrugged her shoulders in response. “We believe you may know how your son came to possess a pocket watch with such a striking resemblance to an antique of quite some value.”

“I do.” He performed the sign of the cross, his features sank into a solemn frown.

“We are sorry for your loss Father.” Jenny interjected.

“It’s quite alright my dear. I am saddened to say that I lost my son many years ago, he left when he was barely fifteen. He got in with the wrong crowd one might say.” He took another sip of his tea, his smile returned, not as bright but still it still warmed the room.

“We think he joined a gang, he had a tattoo, of a snake.” Jenny took out her pocket book, flicking back through the notes. She noticed the smudge of blood on one of the pages, she cringe inwardly as the memory of the day at the mortuary came back to her.

“I believe so, yes. It was shortly after that that I found solace in the almighty. Adam was a prodigy. He was a natural silversmith. His work was immaculate, intricate. It was if it flowed through our blood.” He reached over to a side drawer, pulling out a small box. “This was a gift made for his mother. She passed shortly after he gifted it to her for her 36th birthday.”

Vastra took the offered box, gently opening the clasp. As she lifted the lid, the light of the afternoon sun reflected off of the polished silver. “It is a marvel.” She lifted it from its place, a sliver chain attached to a locket of fine laced silver intertwined with the most elaborate plait of blossoming flowers. “This was not made from a mould?”

“Good heavens no! A mould does not a silversmith make.”

“Apologies, I mean not to insult, I am at a lost at what to say. This is exquisite craftsmanship. Your son truly was a talented man.” She handed the locket to Jenny, her eyes seemed to reflect the stunning glare of the sun as it bounced off of the silver. “I can see he would have had more than an adequate ability to replicate the Earls pocket watch.”

“Indeed. He was many things, my son. But above all, he was an artist. More tea?” His chair seemed to sigh in relief as he got to his feet, taking the pot to the kitchen without waiting for a response.

Vastra held the locket to the light, seemingly mesmerized by it. She smiled at Jenny through her veil, the highly inappropriate image of Jenny wearing nothing but this necklace seemed to etch itself into her mind. She noticed the blush to Jenny’s cheeks as she shared her thoughts. Her attention entirely elsewhere as neither women noticed Father Swan walk back into the room.

“I hope you don’t mind mint. If I have another Camomile I’m sure I will be asleep before the four o’clock mass.” He noticed the wistful smile on the face of the Miss Flint as her eyes were trained on her mistress. “Another cup?”

“Thank you.” Vastra lifted her cup, watching the hot liquid pour from the spout like a waterfall.

“Miss Vastra, what happened to my son?”

Vastra flinched as she took a sip of tea, yet she still did not have the heart to correct him. “Father, we found your son, secreted away in the walls of a public house. We believe he died of asphyxiation due to compression of the lungs. You see, the small compartment inside the wall was initially intended to store bottles of, well, home brewed liquor by past proprietors.” She took another sip of tea, “A man of his physical stature, while for short period of time would have been quite safe, unfortunately, the inward opening of the access panel left no means of an exit. His lungs did not have enough room to inflate, his breaths grew shorter, and over time the oxygen content of his blood was at a level that was unable to feed his body sufficiently. That is where he remained until an unfortunate explosion revealed his corpse.”

Jenny cringed at the graphic and unfeeling way Vastra described the death of the man’s son. “We think he sold the watch to a man who believed it to be the real thing. Only, he found out after he had parted with quite a lot of money that it was in fact, a fake. They were supposed to meet at the pub that night and exchange the watch for the other half of the money. Instead of leaving, he hid. The only loose end we couldn’t tie up was how he came to be in possession of the watch.”

“Silly boy. Silly boy.” A tear tracked its way down his flushed cheek. “All I can ask is that the Lord forgive him, and accepts him into his arms.” He made another sign of the cross as he got up from his seat. “Will his body be released to me? I would like to ensure he is laid to rest.”

“Of course. We will ensure that the appropriate arrangements are made.” Vastra drained the last drops of tea from her cup, setting it aside as she stood. “Thank you for taking the time to meet with us Father, we are sorry for your loss.” She shook his offered hand, watching on as he turned to Jenny.

“He would have liked you, he had a soft spot for the strong intelligent type.” He took note of her hand, devoid of a ring. “Any young man would be lucky to call you his wife my dear, do not fret, he will come and sweep you off your feet one day.”

“I’ve already been well and truly swept Father, don’t you worry about that.” Jenny chanced a glace to the woman at her side.

“Ah well, you make sure he wastes no more time finding that ring, before someone else snaps you up! I would be more than happy to perform the ceremony my dear, nothing more sacred than a man and his lady vowing their lives to one another.” He patted the back of her hand as he shook it, oblivious to the ire emanating from the veiled detective.

*****

“I’m tired of it.” Vastra moved through the house like a howling storm, anything it her wake would be lucky to remain unscathed.

“May I take your coat ma’am.”

“Thank you Strax. Jenny, I will be in my study.” With that, the door slammed shut leaving Jenny and Strax alone in the hallway.

“Do you think she requires nourishment?”

“I don’t think so Strax, I’ve got a feeling I know what this is about.” Jenny hung her coat next to Vastra’s, taking Strax’s hat from his head as he made his way to the kitchen. 

Vastra took a seat at her desk, her head resting in her hands. It had been the third time in as many weeks that Jenny had been propositioned in one way or another. It was not as if she was jealous, or angry. She couldn’t explain it, it was a sadness that she could not rid herself of. Each time it had happened she felt a wave of inadequacy she had not often experienced in her long life. The inability to give what she most wanted to provide. A soft knock at the door drew her attention away from her own thoughts. “Come in.” She moved the papers around on the desk, taking her pen in hand to seem as if she was engrossed in her work. She did not look up to see Jenny enter the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Not a word was spoken between the two women, Jenny moved to her side, taking the pen from her hand and finally gaining her attention. She took Vastra’s hand in her own as she pulled her to her feet, and from her pocket she pulled a single daisy, the stem twisted to form a ring. She lifted Vastra’s hand, placing the delicate flower over her ring finger. She reached into her pocket once more, and pulled out another, twisted in the same way. She placed it into Vastra’s palm and held out her own hand, smiling as Vastra mirrored her actions.

“One day, my love. But for now.” Jenny rose to her tiptoes, placing a soft kiss to Vastra’s forehead before pressing her own to the cool scales.

“I know my darling.” She held Jenny close in her arms. “I am not angry my love, I am....” She thought for a few moments, “I am sad that I cannot give you what every man in this city can give you in a heartbeat.”

“Did you hit your head or summat?” Jenny joked. “There is nothing any man in this city can give me that I want.”

“You want to be married.” Vastra stated dejectedly.

“No I don’t.”

“You don’t?”

“No, I don’t want to be married. I want to marry you. There is a difference.” She watched Vastra’s face fall again, as if accepting defeat. She flinched at the deafening crash that sounded from somewhere else in the house, rolling her eyes at the interruption. “I best see what the bloody hell he’s up to now.” Jenny placed a chaste kiss to Vastra’s cheek, and moved towards the hallway, turning back before she closed the door between them, “Don’t stay cooped up in here too long.”

Vastra smiled as she watched Jenny disappear from view. She moved back to her desk, her head resting in her hands. She took a slow intake of breath, readying herself to do something she had promised herself she would only ever do in an absolute emergency. She always considered it the easy way out, but in this instance, there was no possible alternative. She focused her mind, her fingertips pressed to her temples as her breaths grew purposeful and deep. The room around her faded into a dark shadow as she reached into the depths of her consciousness, searching for that of another. She could only hope that he would hear her voice.

“Doctor, I need your help.”


	41. Chapter 41

Jenny had sensed a change in Vastra. It wasn’t obvious, and it wasn’t immediate. Neither was it negative. It was as if something had shifted, a weight released from her. She would walk in to a room and instead of the slight frown and look of despondence, she found her smiling. Not outwardly, it was difficult to put into words, it was as if a peacefulness had settle around her. She lay awake, the ticking off the clock the only sound in the dark room save for the shallow breaths of her sleeping lover. She rested her head on a propped up arm as she watched Vastra’s brow contort into a frown as she slept. She ran a fingertip over the bridge of her nose in an attempt to calm her from whatever dream was disturbing her sleep, the repetitive movement of her fingertip over the soft ridges of her scales seeming to ease her own disquiet. She laid her head back on to the pillow, resting her hand on the Silurians waist as she pulled herself closer, now laying nose to nose. She smiled at the soft hum of contentment from the sleeping woman, as she allowed sleep to take her once more.

It was as if only moments had passed before the sunlight flooded the room, the curtains failing in their only purpose. Alone is something she rarely feels, but she notices it in an instant. Reaching over to find Vastra’s side of the bed empty was becoming a regular occurrence. She took the moment of solitude to stretch her limbs across the expanse of the four poster bed, before readying herself for yet another day of unravelling the intricate mysteries that seem to follow them everywhere. 

As she neared the bottom of the stairs, she could hear soft voices from the kitchen, or rather a singular soft voice, and a separate rather harsh loud voice. As she reached the threshold of the kitchen, both of its inhabitants fell silent. She just managed to make out the action of Strax concealing something behind his back. 

"I'm starting to think you two are having an affair." Jenny looked between the two occupants of the room, one eyebrow quirked questioningly.

"Do not worry Jenny! I find Silurians utterly repulsive."

"Thank you, Strax."

"You're welcome ma'am.” Strax smiled his best smile as he edged sideways out of the kitchen.

“Good morning my love.” Vastra placed a kiss to Jenny’s head as she sat at the table, and poured her tea. “Sleep well?”

Jenny eyed her suspiciously, they were up to something. “Yes, thank you.” She took a sip of tea, “Don’t forget we have an appointment in half an hour.” She did love to see Vastra in her house clothes, it always sent a little jolt of pleasure through her to see so much more of her skin, even if it was just her forearms, but it would be a shock for their impending visitor.

“I haven’t forgotten dear.” She stepped behind where Jenny had sat, leaning down to place another soft kiss to her neck. She smiled into it as she felt Jenny’s hand reach up and pull her in closer, her head leaning to the side to give more access.

“Why do you always do this at the most inappropriate times.” She turned her head, catching Vastra’s lips with her own,

“I have to take every chance I get, or it is a moment wasted.” Vastra heard Strax’s footsteps behind her.

“Ughh, smooching.” Just then, the doorbell sounded. “I’ll get it!”

“You better go and get dressed before he shows them in.”

“They are early. If they see something that makes them uncomfortable, maybe it will be a lesson in why to keep to the politeness of proper time keeping.” Vastra made her way to the stairs just before Strax had a chance to open it fully, leaving Jenny to see to their client.

“May I take your coat Sir.”

“It’s a woman Strax.” Jenny tried to whisper but she knew full well that Madame Bridgette Devoire could hear her quite well. “Apologies Madame, he’s.....deaf.” Jenny frowned at her own strange hurried excuse, but was pleasantly (and worryingly) surprised that it was accepted. “Do come in, Madame Vastra will be with us shortly.” She showed her into the back room, indicating to a wicker chair for her to take a seat. “Tea?”

“That would be acceptable.” She waved Jenny off, as any woman of social stature would do to the help.

As Jenny left the room, Vastra came towards her, straightening her veil and pulling on her gloves. “I’ll be back with the tea.”

“Thank you my dear.” She smiled through her veil as she watched Jenny walk into the kitchen. “Madame Devoire, a pleasure.” She held out a gloved hand for her to shake as she entered the room. She had a distaste for bad manners, and the fact that Madame Devoire did not stand to greet her already left a sour taste in her mouth, but she was a rich woman, and this would be very well paid work.

“Indeed.”

“What brings you to our door?” Her eyes strayed only for a moment from those of their guest when Jenny walked in, it was a temptation she could never resist. She felt a little more at ease now she had her by her side. She could sense that this client may be a little more difficult to handle, and Jenny had a way of settling her temper.

“You are a detective, are you not? Or do you just fleece good standing people for their money? A woman detective, how quaint.” Madame Devoire seemed disinterested, her perfectly manicured nails seeming to be of more worthy of her attention, as if her time could have been spent on any other matter than this.

“For what reason do you require a detective?” Vastra was becoming impatient, she did love her work, but had a distaste for the social aspect of it. “And why is it you come to me despite your obvious disdain?”

“I want you to find my daughter.”

“Can you elaborate?” Jenny interjected.

She raised her eye line to Jenny’s, ignoring the question as she looked back to Vastra. “She was there one day, and not the next.” She smiled in a way that was full of sarcasm and condescension.

“At this point I’m not surprised.” Jenny couldn’t help herself, she heard Vastra’s slight cough, an attempt to hide a laugh.

“Why is it that you believe there is something here to be investigated, could she not have left of her own accord?” Vastra leaned back into the chair, her hands clasped loosely in her lap, her body language was not always quite as obvious as this, but her abhorrence for the woman to her opposite was beginning to tire her somewhat. She could hear words, noise, but the insignificance of it irked her, her mind wandered. The conclusion of the missing daughter obvious to everyone but Madame Devoire. She had already sought the aid of the police, and another detective she did not care to name, the probability that she did not feel the need to commit this name to memory was apparent. She found it quite disconcerting that such self centeredness could blind someone of the obvious, she blathered on about how the kidnappers had also stolen her daughters clothes and most of her jewellery, and an antique travelling case that she had been gifted by her father. It was not the fact that her daughter was missing, it was the fact that the clothes and jewellery that _she_ had paid good money for had disappeared with her. There was a sudden switch in her mind that flicked off, then on, then off again, as if a reset button had been hit. Suddenly the thought of significant payment for the requested investigation seemed inconsequential, she did not want to find her daughter, just for her to be dragged back into a life controlled by this soulless woman. Silence filled the room as her guest had finally had her fill of the sound of her own voice. Vastra’s only response was a deep sigh. Another few seconds of silence passed, until Jenny felt the need to fill it.

“Thank you, we are quite busy of late but we will be in touch.” Jenny could read Vastra quite well usually, but this was something new. It was not often that she did not retort with some smart remark or even on the odd occasion some words of assurance. “I’ll see you out.”

“That’s it?” The woman stood, huffing as she was handed her coat on the way to the door. “If I do not receive some sort of indication that you have commenced your investigation in the next few days, consider my offer of paid work revoked.” She turned on the front door step, just as the door was shut in her face.

“Revoke that you arse of a woman.” Jenny muttered under her breath to the closed door. She brushed her hands together as if getting rid of the dirt that has settled on them. “What was that about?”

Vastra had removed her veil, she pulled at the fingers of her gloves, but the odd expression on her face was one that Jenny had not yet gotten used to. It was a look of complete serenity.

“It pleases me to not give to those who are used to getting everything.” She smiled at Jenny, pleased that the rest of the day initially given to this case was now empty, and theirs to fill.

“Maybe next time you’re going to go silent you could warn me.”

“You’re right my love, I apologise. Next time I intend to remain silent I will firstly announce it.” Her sarcastic tone was met with a tut. “I’m sorry that I made you uncomfortable my dear.”

“If you stopped doing everything you did that made people uncomfortable or uneasy, you would have stood stock still all your life.”

“Never a truer word spoken.” She placed a chaste kiss to Jenny’s lips as she removed her remaining glove and moved through the house intent on finding something to occupy her afternoon.

*****

Jenny tried hard. She tried with everything she could muster not to let herself slip away. The pull was like a force she had not experienced in a long time, as if it crept through her mind, erasing every thought, shutting down her consciousness. The voice in her ears seemed to push her closer, the monotonous drone seemed to go on endlessly, her mind unable to form sentences coherently from the meaningless words. She couldn't take any more, she couldn't fight. She felt the warmth of the fire on her skin, the light fade behind her eyelids, before the world turned dark. 

"Ma'am, I think the boy has died." 

Vastra looked up from her book, the vision before her raised a half lipped smile. "Strax, I think you have well and truly bored her to death. What on Earth are you reading to her?"

"The Encyclopaedia of Sontaran Weaponry." He poked at Jenny's arm, receiving an incoherent grunt in response.

"I'm sure it's absolutely fascinating.” It was an image she found endearing, Jenny with her head lulled at an awkward angle, eyes closed to the world, her features resting in an almost angelic way, while Strax sat by her side, a look of slight concern on his face while he jabbed at her with one of his stubby fingers. She placed her mark between the pages of her book, setting it down to her side as the clock just as it struck the hour of nine. She watched Jenny stir as the sound interrupted her boredom induced slumber, wincing as she stretched her neck from the uncomfortable position.

“Thank you Strax,” Jenny’s yawn defied her attempts to seem as if she had been awake the whole time, “That was fascinating.”

“But I haven’t finished.” He turned the page, “Centripetal Force Manipulators.”

“Are we only up to C?” Jenny rolled her eyes, huffing as she moved to make herself a little more comfortable, she wouldn’t last more than five minutes. “Go on then, if you must.”

“Right, well, I will leave you two to your book, I am off to bed.” Vastra didn’t miss the glare from Jenny, giving her a wry smile in return. “Don’t stay up too late.” She turned to leave the room, just as a familiar hum sounded from the corner of the room.

“Lay down your weapons in the name of the Sontaran Empire!” Strax held his book firmly as he jumped to his feet; ready to hurl it with full force at the intruder, doing just that as the doors flew open.

“Ow!”

“Strax!” Jenny stood, pulling Strax from his path towards the bookshelf. “Books are not weapons.”

“That’s not what Madam says.”

“I said that words are weapons, Strax. Not books. Doctor, to what do we owe the pleasure?” She attempted a wink, hoping that he would understand the need for discretion.

“I don’t know, you called me!” He winked, while rubbing at his forehead. He looked at his hand, satisfied that the blow hadn’t drawn blood. He glared at Strax as the throbbing in his forehead subsided.

“Sorry.” Strax sly smile was evidence that he had actually enjoyed hurling a book at the Doctor, for no reason other than a yearning for any form of mindless violence.

Jenny looked between the two, confusion on her face. She noticed the lack of any other person appearing from the TARDIS. “You on your own Doctor? Cup of tea?”

“Tea! Yes, that would be wonderful!”

She didn’t miss the way he avoided the first question. “I’ll get the kettle on then, and you two can get your story straight and decide who called who.”

*****

“So where do you want to go, backwards, forwards, somewhere else entirely?”

“How far forwards are we talking?” Vastra had her hopes high, for Jenny’s sake.

“About....” He looked at his watch, “One hundred and....” He held it to his ear, “Twenty years. Thirty to be on the safe side.”

“Well. That is disappointing.” Vastra felt deflated, knowing that they would never know a world in which they would be truly accepted. “At least I am of the knowledge that they get the idea eventually.”

“Eventually.” The Doctor smiled, it was a sad smile. “Married! Oh Vastra, you are a sly one.”

“Sly? Correct me if I am wrong, which is a very rare occurrence, but I am of the belief that you knew this was going to happen when we first met her.”

“When WE met her? I’ve never met her.”

“You have never met Jenny?” Vastra was beginning to sense something was off.

“Well, yes I have met her, just now. But I wasn’t there when you met. Was I? Will I?”

The timeline was off. This was one of those moments in time, twisted and warped in such a way that made each move a very delicate incision to be followed by an equally delicate stitch. Vastra was meant to call him here, in this moment, to write this path in time.

“Doctor, listen to me carefully.....”

Jenny could hear voices as she stood in the kitchen, but couldn’t make out the words. She didn’t feel the need to pry; this was a matter that Vastra obviously felt she couldn’t share with her. She lifted the kettle from the stove, a despondent sigh passing her lips. “Strax, take the tray out for me, I need some fresh air.” She didn’t wait for his reply. She stepped out into the cold air, the peacefulness of the back yard was something she had taken for granted. The night shrouded the garden in darkness, but the light from the house seemed to shine directly onto the apple tree. She smiled at the memory of their very first picnic, enjoying each other’s company under its shade. Another sigh escaped her as she remembered the days and weeks that followed, the loneliest moments of her life, lonelier even than her nights on the street. She braced herself on the door jamb as she felt a peculiar sensation sweep over her, as if someone was walking over her grave. She had heard that phrase before, but never quite knew what it meant, until now. It was if for a split second in time, she was not present. She moved back into the house, the warmth of the stove a comfort to her sudden unease.

“Ah, Jenny my love. There you are.” Vastra could sense Jenny’s disquiet, “Are you quite well? You look as if you have seen a ghost.” She took Jenny by the hand, leading her to sit at the table. She placed a hand on her fore head, “You do feel rather clammy.”

“I’m fine, just came over a bit funny that’s all.” She took Vastra’s hand from her head, kissing it as she took it in her own. “So, what’s he up to, or what are you up to more to the point.” Her raised eyebrow let Vastra know she had some explaining to do.

“Well, it seems time travel is more delicate and complicated than I originally thought.” Vastra decided it best not to delve too deep into the details, unsure if she even could. “The Doctor is going to help us with something.”


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is it. The final chapter. Fittingly, it has been a year since I first started this fic! I have found lately that time is not easy to come by, and feel that I cannot wholly commit to further chapters, so to put those of you that have followed from the beginning out of your misery I have skipped ahead a little to write the ending that I feel appropriate. You never know, I may add another chapter here and there, probably just one shots (I am open to suggestions/prompts!) as the mood takes me. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I sincerely hope you enjoyed the ride.

“It’s probably Keith.” Jenny whispered to her side, sharing in a childish giggle with the Sontaran. It was often the object of her mindless fascinations, the name of the Doctor. The only reason she could surmise as to why he would not share it, was that it was such a dull, uninteresting name that did not befit the person within. Keith. That is what she will call him, not to his face of course.

“Or Susan.” Strax laughed harder than before at his own comment, his eyes tearing as he struggled to remain proper. He had an important mission to complete, a task set to him by the other occupant of the room. “Jenny my boy, if you were significantly more rounded and quite a few inches shorter, I myself may even approve of your appearance.” He pulled tight at the last thread of lace, oblivious to the grunt of pain from Jenny. He tied the bow just as he had been taught, his stubby fingers not entirely suited to the delicate task but he managed, thankful for the practice. “I am not entirely repulsed, I am sure Madam will concur.”

“Hopefully she will be slightly more than _not repulsed.”_ Jenny looked over herself in the full length mirror, the dress was a thing of beauty, it fit her as perfectly as if it had begun life as fluid, poured over her, the satin liquid embracing each curve and attaching itself to her like a second skin. She felt as if she looked upon another as she gazed into her own eyes, seeing herself but not knowing the person before her. A flash of a memory passed in front of her, of pale complexion and sunken eyes, matted hair and torn clothes. She brushed her hands over herself, no longer feeling the protruding bones, evidence of a life of emaciation. She didn’t see the poor street urchin, the match girl scratching around for her next meal. The woman she saw reflecting back at her was a contrast, bright skin kissed by the sun from their lazy days spent laying beneath the apple tree and strolls in the park. Her hair shone as it reflected the sun streaming through the window, the dark strands like silk neatly plaited to one side, soft tendrils caressed her temple as the breeze flowed through the otherwise warm room. She saw the evidence of the life she had been gifted, warmth, shelter, food. Gifts to her that others would take for granted. Her eyes however, there was something within them that no amount of nourishment could have caused, they glowed with love, warmth, happiness. They yearned for life, they yearned for Vastra, she watched as the pulse in her neck quickened at her thoughts. Her wife. Her lips curled into a soft smile, her eyes glistened with unshed tears, tears of happiness and pure contentment. Before the day is done, Vastra will be her wife.

“Don’t cry boy! You don’t look that bad.” Strax grimaced as he eyed the other woman’s refection.

“Thank you Strax.” She took it as a compliment, whether it was intended as one or not. “But I’m not sad. I’m happy, they’re happy tears.”

“Understood.” Or not understood, but he continued none the less. “The carriage will be here soon.” He thought of the ridiculousness of a carriage coming to take them barely a mile across the city, but apparently it would be improper for a bride to arrive at her wedding on foot. “I don’t know why we cannot walk!”

Jenny turned to face the Sontaran, smiling with pride at him in his tuxedo. She straightened his bow tie for the fifth time in the last hour, now just as a means to distract herself. “Because I don’t want this dress ruined. What would people think of me turning up with mud and soot all over me.” She looked out of the window at the dark clouds threatening to burst. “And lookin’ like a drowned rat.”

“Waste of time if you ask me.” He turned to leave the room, Jenny watched as he closed the door behind him. She took a breath as she looked to the clock on the mantle, five minutes. She took one last glance at herself, ensuring everything was in place, she adjusted her plait just a little, the thin purple strand of ribbon securing the end was a stark contrast against the pale material of her dress, but it was for Vastra. Her favourite colour. She laughed inwardly at the way Vastra would disagree _“I would’t say favourite, just one of the few colours that lends itself to the tone of my skin.”_ It was her favourite. She heard the knock at the door, her heart skipped a beat as she took one final breath to calm her nerves. She turned the door handle and made her way to the bottom of the stairs, where she was met by the vision of Strax looking the perfect gentleman with his arm ready for her to take.

“Miss Jenny, your carriage awaits”

*****

“What if.....”

“Stop! That is the seventeenth _what if._ There are no ifs, buts, whys or whats.” The Doctor placed his hands on Vastra’s shoulders as he looked into her eyes, eyes that showed nothing but fear. “She would not miss this for the world. You are her world.”

“When did you become such a romantic?” She rolled her eyes at his attempt at a confident alluring smile, it fell flat. “But if in fact I am her world, and she would not miss this for the world, I am left somewhat confused as to whether she would not miss this for me, or should she miss it would that mean...”

“Please for the love of all that is sanity. Stop. I confess. They are her words, not mine.” He smiled a genuine smile, “In fact, I think she might have even said something about not missing it for all the tea in China as well.” He raised his brow in a serious manner.

“Oh, well that clinches it.”

“Sarcasm will only get you so far Vastra.” 

She huffed, she knew she was being ridiculous. She knew how Jenny adored her, she could not fathom as to why but she did. Her doubt was unfounded, and she knew it in her heart. She was just being impatient. She hadn’t seen Jenny for almost two days, two days they would never get back. Two days of her smile, her touch, her laugh. She laughed at her own mind, who would have thought the warrior in her would be replaced by a love sick pup. “Thank you, doctor.”

“For what?” He looked up from his place as he sat at the verger’s desk, hand in the jar of communion wafers as he helped himself like a starved child.

“For this. For finding a priest to marry us. I know neither of us follows this religion, but it seems the only option if we want our marriage to be as official as it can be, despite the fact that two women are forbidden to have such a simple thing.” She knew this priest was other worldly, which world she did not know, he was more human looking than any other sentient being not from earth, but there was a slight giveaway in which she was sure was apparent to more people than he liked to think. His ears came to a point. He hid it well with his mop of greying hair, but every once in a while, when the wind blew a little too hard, or he moved his head with a little more vigour than his hair could cope with, the pointed tips would reveal themselves. She was both grateful, and quite impressed at the ease in which he had found a solution to their dilemma. Who would have thought they would find an alien being converted to Catholicism in this odd little city. She took that back, of course they would have.

“He owed me a favour.” The doctor tapped a finger to the side of his nose, as if asking for no further questions. “You know he’s been here right under your nose. We are quite literally 800 yards from your front door.”

“I’m petrified.” Vastra’s hands were clasped together with such force that her knuckles paled.

“There’s nothing to it! Say your bit, kissy kiss, signy sign. Just make sure you add the maiden name.” He mimed the action, an invisible pen waving through the air.

“Vastra Smith.” She shuddered. “Maiden. What does that even mean.” The question was rhetorical.

“Well you can hardly sign it First Name – Madame, Last Name – Vastra.”

“I do have a last name.”

“Yes but it’s just a noise.” He waved his hand in the air as if to wave of her comment.

“Every name is a noise. It is the noise we make to attract the attention of another.” Vastra knew she had bested him there.

“You know what I mean.” He stood to his feet, clapping his hands together as he did so. He missed the way Vastra had jumped at the sound, like a startled rabbit. He looked to his watch, his eyes wide in shock. “Right! Let’s get this done.”

*****

“My love, every time I look at you it is like the first, I fall for you all over again.” Her words were a whisper, meant for only Jenny. She readied herself for her vows as the priest had instructed, her breath falling shakily from her lips.

“My dearest Jenny, my heart. You are the strength that I didn’t know I needed, the part of me I didn’t know I had lost. You are the beating heart that I didn’t know I craved, the only warmth capable of thawing the icy blood in my veins. You are the reason I wake each morning, you are the dawn that rises over the darkness, the light that illuminates my soul. I thought my path was already written, but then you came to me, erasing the ink from the pages, filling it in entirety with you, and only you.” Vastra felt a tear roll down her cheek, she had never felt so full, so overwhelmed with emotion. Jenny was perfection personified, she had momentarily been rendered speechless as she watched her appear at the door of the chapel, thankfully before the rain had started. Every word that left her lips was meant so wholeheartedly, but failed to truly convey her love for the woman in front of her. “You see everything, you see the light in me, and even the darkness. Yet you are still here. You love every part of me.” She smiled as another teardrop tracked its way down her cheek, Jenny reached up, her soft hand coming to wipe away the salty tear. She couldn’t help but lean into the touch, oh how she had missed her.

Jenny noticed the silence of the room, she was supposed to be speaking. Her words were lost, lost in ice blue eyes, the warmth they conveyed was a contradiction. Vastra was beautiful, the dark slate coloured gown she had chosen was glimmering like white gold in the light of the candles chasing away the dark of the storm. It was blissful to see her without her veil, it was a promise they had made to each other, no veils. The doors had been locked, their guests just two, their dear friends Strax and the Doctor. They we free to be in their own skin, to love who they choose to love.

“Miss Flint, your vows?”

She cleared her throat, swallowing the lump that had formed in response to Vastra’s words.

“When this world was wearing thin, when I had succumbed to leave this place, alone and cold, I was saved. In the silence of the night, in the darkness of my dreams, I found you. I found a light to lead me home. You made me want to live when I was ready to die. The first time I saw your face, I felt fear. Not for the reason you might have thought, but for the fact that I had fallen in love with you, from that moment, it scared me to death, how someone could touch me so deeply with one glance. The first time our hands touched, I fell even harder.” She looked at Vastra’s hands in her own, her thumb caressing the soft scales, grazing over the ring she had placed there just moments before. “Then I kissed you. For the first time. I knew then I would keep falling, and I don’t think I will ever stop. There is no immovable object that can halt this unstoppable force.”

Vastra mirrored Jenny’s smile, only Jenny could make physics romantic.

“Vastra, my love for you is unwavering, unconditional, undeniable. I am yours for eternity.” Jenny’s trembled breath left her lips, she thought she might pass out. She was grateful she had managed to finish her vows without that embarrassment.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that I can now pronounce you married; you may kiss your wife.”

They moved toward each other, not trusting themselves with much more than a slow but chaste kiss, the endless teasing from their present company would grow tiresome within moments. As their eyes met, the reality of the situation dawned on them. Vastra was first to speak, but her words were timid and quiet, “My Wife.”

That was all it took for Jenny to break so freely, she pulled Vastra into her arms as she felt herself sob with pure happiness. “My Wife.”

The moment was interrupted by whoops and, shockingly, gun fire. Vastra chanced a glance at Strax, his arm in the air, pistol pointing to the ceiling as brick dust fell like snow onto his big empty round head. “Let’s get these papers signed before he kills someone.”

*****

As they strolled hand in hand under the shelter of the church pavilion, they looked across the garden, it was mid spring, April showers filled the air with petrichor entwined with the smell of freshly cut grass and roses that would remind them always of this day.

“You know it’s good luck, rain on your wedding day.” Jenny pulled Vastra to her, taking one hand on hers, the other laced around her waist as if dancing a waltz. There was no music, yet they swayed as if being serenaded by an orchestra.

Vastra looked out in silence over the empty green, her mischievous smile hidden to her wife. “Is that so?” With that, she took the lead, moving towards the stone steps leading out of the shelter. She felt Jenny resist once she realised where she was being led.

“I’ll get wet!” Jenny let go of Vastra’s hand as she walked into the rain. She watched as the droplets fell onto her viridescent scales, she was captivating. She had never looked so carefree as she did in that moment, her eyes looking into her soul, her lips curled into an unwavering smile.

“It’s good luck.” She held out her hand for Jenny to take, her heart filling as it was taken without hesitation. She was in awe of this perfect woman, she watched her take each step tentatively, ready to catch her should she slip on the wet stone. When they were nose to nose once more, she captured Jenny’s lips with her own as they let the rain beat down on them. It was a kiss full of promise, of love, and so much more than words could convey. “I thought you didn’t want to get wet?” 

“You are an addiction that I don’t ever want to be rid of.” Jenny smiled as she deepened the kiss, as if to reiterate her words. She could never tire of Vastra’ lips, the soft yet commanding power she had over her made her weak. If it wasn’t for the fact that there was a chance their guests were currently gawping at them from the window of the chapel, she was sure she could stay like this forever.

“Mrs Flint, shall we?” Vastra made a sweeping motion with her arm, leading her back into the warmth of the chapel.

“Yes Mrs Flint, we shall.” Jenny followed with her heart filled with pride, and so much love for the woman she now called her wife. It was a moment so simple, yet so completely and wonderfully perfect. Whatever turn their lives took, whatever journey they set out for, each and every moment would be cherished and shared, every sorrow, every joy, every twist and turn, will be a path they will write together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Peace out all you interspecies lesbian lovers.


End file.
